Historically, the sheer size of the EU (+500 million people and its +$20 trillion economy) has compelled companies globally to adopt EU standards - it was simply cheaper to raise the bar for everyone. This "Brussels Effect" has shaped world standards on data protection, airline emissions, and even USB-C adoption.
However, when it comes to AI, the "effect" is more a "cage", specially after the EU #AIAct. Apple is skipping the EU on literally the flagship feature of the new iPhone. Meta likewise on its latest greatest model (LLaMA 3.2). OpenAI likewise of the new voice interface for chatGPT...
As Annu explains on her book "Digital Empires", EU is sandwiched between USA leading with great innovations (and breaking things), and China leading with strong government intervention. EU meanwhile leads on regulation (including upholding social and environmental safeguards). Clearly, none of these extremes is without hefty costs. In the EU, the recent Draghi report echoes the frustration that while we are upholding our democratic values, it's coming at an unacceptable cost to our future. We must find a better balance.
Draghi urges us to "abandon the illusion that only procrastination can preserve consensus." The EU being left behind on perhaps the most important innovation in recent history (AI) should serve as a wake-up call.
AI has immense potential for positive impact. We've already chosen to pour billions of dollars on it, many of our most bright minds, and it is showing to be undeniably faster, better, and cheaper than the alternatives in more and more places. Notably, one are is left behind #AIforEarth (hence our work, to help push for it). Besides the direct clear benefits we are seeing, it also represents a fresh opportunity to demonstrate a better path forward on AI leadership. How? Just consider that Earth data includes petabytes of is global, free, comprehensive, historical, legally clear data. On issues that directly benefit everyone everywhere, especially those most in need. Think of climate change, weather, climate, sustainability, environment insurance, management of assets, transportation, ...
If leading AI tools are walled off from the EU due to stringent regulations, collaboration and innovation in this vital field could be severely hampered. Or worse a polarized balkanization of AI ecosystems both public and private, for the detriment of everyone and the technology itself, with races in different directions and incompatible safeguards. Leaving most people without either critical benefits or protections they could have. Seems EU has too much stick on AI and not enough carrot.
I am biased, and I feel the urgency to help raise the awareness of AIforEarth as a diplomacy tool for AI. The stakes are high, for the EU, for AI, and for Earth.