Artificial intelligence: the EU needs to act as a global standard-setter

The adopted text says that the public debate on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) should focus on this technology's enormous potential to complement humans. The text warns that the EU has fallen behind in the global race for tech leadership. As a result, there is a risk that standards will be developed elsewhere in the future, often by non-democratic actors, while the EU needs to act as a global standard-setter in AI. MEPs identified policy options that could unlock AI's potential in health, the environment and climate change, to help combat pandemics and global hunger, as well as enhancing people's quality of life through personalised medicine. AI, if combined with the necessary support infrastructure, education and training, can increase capital and labour productivity, innovation, sustainable growth and job creation, they add.