By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, March 18 (Reuters) - Key EU lawmakers, who are influential in shaping changes to Europe's AI Act, on Wednesday backed a ban on AI apps which create unauthorised sexually
EU Lawmakers Support Ban on AI Apps Creating Sexually Explicit Images Under AI Act
Key Developments in the EU AI Act and Proposed Ban
By Foo Yun Chee
Lawmakers Back Ban on Sexually Explicit AI Apps
BRUSSELS, March 18 (Reuters) - Key EU lawmakers, who are influential in shaping changes to Europe's AI Act, on Wednesday backed a ban on AI apps which create unauthorised sexually explicit images and urged that the bloc's landmark rules agreed two years ago include this ban.
Context of the Proposed Ban
The move comes a week after EU countries voted on a similar proposal ahead of talks between the lawmakers and EU governments on the European Commission's plan to water down parts of the AI Act so as not to lose ground in the global tech race.
Next Steps in Legislation
The European Parliament will vote on the group's proposal on March 26. Lawmakers and EU governments will then have to thrash out their differences before the changes proposed by the EU executive can be implemented.
Reactions and Concerns
Lawmakers' Statements
"A proposal to ban so-called nudification apps I believe is something that our citizens expect of the co-legislators," said lawmaker Michael McNamara, who is leading the forthcoming discussion with EU countries.
Recent Incidents Prompting Action
Sexually explicit content generated by Elon Musk's xAI chatbot Grok on X, as well as sexually intimate deepfakes produced by Grok, have triggered a crackdown by governments and regulators from Europe to Asia.
Implementation Timeline and High-Risk AI Systems
Delays and Alignment with EU Countries
The lawmakers also voted to delay certain rules on high-risk AI systems to December 2 next year, saying that key standards may not be finalised by August 2, which could create uncertainty for companies. This was in line with EU countries' position.
Phased Implementation of the AI Act
The AI Act will be implemented in phases.
(Reporting by Foo Yun CheeEditing by Bernadette Baum)
