Paper Number
1938
Paper Type
Complete Research Paper
Abstract
In April 2021, the European Commission proposed the Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) to regulate AI throughout Europe. This regulation categorizes AI risks based on their intended uses, as defined by their providers. In this paper we have tracked the AIA’s policy process up to the June 2023 EU Parliament vote. Significant events, like the launch of ChatGPT, have made the regulation process more complex. Initially, it was assumed AI could be regulated based on its intended purpose. However, concepts like ‘general purpose artificial intelligence’ (GPAI) and ‘foundation models’ emerged, showing AI can have a myriad of purposes, some known, and others emerging during use. These developments challenge our understanding of AI. We contribute to IS research by problematizing the common assumption that technology’s purpose is easily defined. Practically, we highlight the difficulties in regulating AI, emphasizing its complex nature.
Recommended Citation
Lanamäki, Arto; Väyrynen, Karin; and Vainionpää, Fanny, "The European Union's Regulatory Challenge: Conceptualizing Purpose in Artificial Intelligence" (2024). ECIS 2024 Proceedings. 1.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2024/track04_impactai/track04_impactai/1
The European Union's Regulatory Challenge: Conceptualizing Purpose in Artificial Intelligence
In April 2021, the European Commission proposed the Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) to regulate AI throughout Europe. This regulation categorizes AI risks based on their intended uses, as defined by their providers. In this paper we have tracked the AIA’s policy process up to the June 2023 EU Parliament vote. Significant events, like the launch of ChatGPT, have made the regulation process more complex. Initially, it was assumed AI could be regulated based on its intended purpose. However, concepts like ‘general purpose artificial intelligence’ (GPAI) and ‘foundation models’ emerged, showing AI can have a myriad of purposes, some known, and others emerging during use. These developments challenge our understanding of AI. We contribute to IS research by problematizing the common assumption that technology’s purpose is easily defined. Practically, we highlight the difficulties in regulating AI, emphasizing its complex nature.
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