As a long-standing technology partner to European governments, businesses, and citizens, Microsoft is committed to ensuring that Europe benefits from advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) while upholding the rights of EU citizens online.
Navigating the AI Landscape in Europe
AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s reshaping industries, revolutionizing healthcare, and accelerating scientific discovery across the EU. However, alongside these opportunities, AI presents significant challenges. As a provider of AI services, Microsoft recognizes its responsibility to ensure that the solutions it offers are trustworthy and safe, with the new EU mandate presenting an opportunity to leverage new technologies for societal benefit and protect individuals from potential misuse.
Microsoft is prepared to collaborate with European institutions during the 2024-2029 mandate. Strong leadership is crucial as technological innovation continues to progress. According to President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, “Europe is leading the way in making AI safer and more trustworthy, and in tackling the risks stemming from its misuse.”
To drive digital transformation and economic growth, the EU should focus on becoming a global leader in AI innovation. Microsoft supports the EU’s commitment to protecting democracy and strengthening its approach to AI-produced content. A balanced approach that involves governments, civil society, and industry is essential for advancing innovation and safety. Microsoft acknowledges the legislative developments during the 2019-2024 Commission mandate and is ready to engage with EU stakeholders to implement these effectively.
Addressing the Challenges and Risks of AI
Microsoft recognizes the need for modernized criminal and other laws to address the misuse of AI. Ongoing safety research reveals the potential for AI to be misused, and certain groups are disproportionately at risk. Microsoft is taking steps to protect people, especially children, women, and older adults, from the harms of abusive AI-generated content.
Microsoft’s policy recommendations include establishing clear, proportionate rules that protect individuals while enabling Europe to innovate. The recommendations advocate for the EU to integrate provenance tools, strengthen existing legal frameworks, and enhance victim-based decision-making measures.
As a company, Microsoft is committed to building a robust safety architecture for its services, incorporating safety by design, durable media provenance, and watermarking. They aim to protect their services from abusive content and conduct through collaboration across industry, governments, and civil society, supported by education and public awareness.
It is imperative that society builds trust in AI in order to fully realize its benefits. Central to Microsoft’s recommendations is enhancing the response to the misuse of AI through the lens of three key risk areas:
- Protecting children from online exploitation.
- Safeguarding women from non-consensual intimate imagery.
- Safeguarding older adults, especially against AI-enabled fraud.
These are the three general areas of focus Microsoft is concentrating on to protect and maintain the safety of EU citizens with AI content.
The opportunities for AI are significant. By proactively addressing these issues, a future can be built where AI enhances human creativity, protects individual privacy, and strengthens democracy. Microsoft is dedicated to playing its part, but it acknowledges that collaboration is necessary across the EU’s digital ecosystem. Microsoft believes in technology as a positive force and is committed to empowering people and organizations to achieve more. The time for action is now.
