MEPs debate and vote on the final report by the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age. The text says the EU must set global AI standards and unlock its enormous potential to address challenges in the fields of health, the environment and climate change.

digital agenda (T)

statement

debate

plenary session

vote

ANSIP, Andrus (Renew, EE)

VOSS, Axel (EPP, DE)

use of robotics and artificial intelligence (T)

SCHWAB, Andreas (EPP, DE)

VESTAGER, Margrethe (DK, CE)

BENIFEI, Brando (S&D, IT)

SCHALDEMOSE, Christel (S&D, DK)

MAYDELL, Eva (EPP, BG)

BOESELAGER, Damian (Greens/EFA, DE)

Special committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age

digital services act (T)

Artificial intelligence in a digital age: statement by Axel VOSS (EPP,DE), rapporteur), extracts from the debate and extracts from the vote

Title: Artificial intelligence in a digital age: statement by Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), rapporteur), extracts from the debate and from the vote

SOUNDBITE (English), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, If we allow ourselves to lose a leadership position, we will miss the opportunity to set standards and we will resign ourselves to the status of digital colonies subjugated to other regions that don't share our values. We are lacking investment. We are lacking market power and dominance. So we need to do carry analysis to see which steps must be taken in the coming years to ensure that we can shape the future of AI rather than actors by by-standers,

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, We want to make Europe a global leader in adopting these latest technologies and in developing these technology seising the benefits promoting the development of this technology. Ambitious is our ambition is to increase public and private investment to a total of twenty billion euros per year over the course of this coming decade.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, I think that is how to create trust that elected representatives, as you are thinking about something that is indeed future proof that preserves the fundamentals, while at the same time in enabling this technology to serve us at our best when we want to fight climate change, increase cohesion and make sure that all the other use cases, they can be as as prosperous as possible.

SOUNDBITE (English), Eva MAYDELL (EPP, BG), We have to try and be the champions for a future that ensures A.I. is the vessel for those groundbreaking innovations. When it comes to health outcome, when it comes to effective cybersecurity or scientific discovery or greater sustainability, we cannot let authoritarian states such as China and Russia beat us to this technological punch. 

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Brando BENIFEI (S&amp;D, IT), We also have to work on global standards because the technological aspects are extremely important. International relations will hinge on that in the future. We need a competitive and united single market to make sure that everyone can innovate but respect the rules from privacy to competition.

SOUNDBITE (English), Andrus ANSIP (Renew, EE), The European Union must significantly increase its investments in artificial intelligence, so we would have competitive solutions. The European Union must also significantly improve the access to data. But bearing in mind that the only legal basis for processing of data is general data protection regulation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Damian BOESELAGER (Greens/EFA, DE), We need to safeguard fundamental rights, but we also need to fight markets concentration. And that can be done if we enable our start-ups our companies to enter these market that there is no closed markets, that there's no market dominance.

Announcement of the opening of the vote, MEPS voting and result of the vote on the resolution: 495 in fqvour, 34 against and 102 abstentions. 9 shots.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, AI is of high strategic relevance. And therefore we have to be aware that everyone who is leading in AI who might also lead the world. So that's why we need to adapt, or to understand that this is very important to be also kind of, to get a leading position in AI.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, We are asking that we want only regulations in digital areas anymore. We would like to have a digital common market, single market, where also the member states have to change their mindsets. We ask for more talents, for more education skills.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), Rapporteur, We have to join our forces in Europe and we should think more in European projects to scale up too, to be a good competitor to other regions.