Swedish PM Urges Pause on EU AI Rules

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has called for a halt to the European Union’s artificial intelligence regulations ahead of a critical meeting with EU leaders this week in Brussels. This marks the first time a government leader has publicly expressed support for delaying the implementation of these rules, which some officials from countries like the Czech Republic and Poland have also hinted at pausing.

During a discussion with lawmakers in the Swedish parliament, Kristersson criticized the EU’s AI regulations, describing them as “confusing.” He plans to address these concerns directly with his counterparts at the upcoming European Council meeting. He pointed out that a key issue lies in the fact that the AI Act, which is set to be enacted, lacks common standards—a situation he considers troubling.

According to Kristersson, continuing with the rollout of the AI rules might hinder Europe’s technological progress or result in critical applications becoming unavailable on the market. He emphasized the importance of this message at the upcoming meeting with EU leaders.

The notion of pausing the implementation of the AI Act is gaining traction within EU circles, with Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s technology chief, acknowledging that a pause could be necessary if there is a lack of proper guidance.

Initially passed into law last year, the AI Act is being introduced gradually over the next year and a half and is dependent on the establishment of technical standards that companies need to meet concerning cybersecurity and human oversight.

Kristersson’s position has received backing from some European Parliament members, including Arba Kokalari, a conservative lawmaker within the European People’s Party, who welcomed the Prime Minister’s call for a pause. Kokalari noted that if standards are not ready on time, the rollout of certain components of the AI Act should indeed be halted to allow companies sufficient time to adapt.

Additionally, Kokalari advocated for including the AI Act within the European Commission’s digital simplification package, which is anticipated to be released by year-end.