New European Commission president pledges GDPR-style AI legislation

The European Commission's incoming president has promised to introduce new legislation governing AI amid fears about Europe's increasing dependence on US tech. Ursula von der Leyen set out her plans in a speech on Wednesday after the European Parliament approved her and her cabinet's appointment. The commission chief, who has pledged to create a range of new laws within the first 100 days of her presidency, said she was in favour of a AI-focused legislation similar to the General Data Protection Regulation that came into effect last year. "It is not about damming up the flow of data," she said. "It is about making rules that define how to handle data responsibly. For us the protection of a person's digital identity is the overriding priority."