Europe is making AI rules now to avoid a new tech crisis

London (CNN Business)Social media faces a crisis of trust. Europe wants to make sure artificial intelligence doesn't go the same way. The European Commission on Monday unveiled ethics guidelines that are designed to influence the development of AI systems before they become deeply embedded in society. The intervention could help break the pattern of regulators being forced to play catch up with emerging technologies that lead to unanticipated negative consequences. The importance of doing so was underscored Monday when Britain proposed new rules that would make internet companies legally responsible for ridding their platforms of harmful content.