Excello Law Data Protection, Privacy, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Law Partner Wayne Cleghorn has been appointed by the European Commission and the newly established European AI Office as an expert to help create an important EU AI Act Code of Practice. The EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) came into force on 1 August 2024. The aim of this programme of work is to agree, write and publish in 2025, the world’s first Code of Practice for General Purpose Artificial Intelligence, as required by the EU AI Act.
General Purpose AI, or GPAI, as it is sometime called, are often large, self-learning AI models that are able to operate generally and can competently perform a wide range of distinct tasks independently or when integrated into other systems and applications.
The European AI Office selectors informed Wayne Cleghorn: “After careful evaluation of your application, based on the provided and publicly available information, we assessed that you are eligible for the participation in the above-mentioned process according to the criteria ….”
“General Purpose AI systems are very powerful and many are quickly coming to the market. Their impact can be enormous and long-lasting and this is why clearer rules and guidance are important for these systems, for business and for wider society” say Wayne Cleghorn. He continues “These systems can impact a wide range of people, in different ways, across the world and so this work in the EU will influence and apply to many other countries, including the UK. This work may also affect how the UK regulates AI and how the UK government, UK businesses, UK organisations and interested stakeholders in the UK respond.”
The General Purpose AI Code of Practice will form part of official EU AI Act rules for providers of General Purpose AI models and General Purpose AI models with systemic risks, wherever these systems are based. The kick-off Code of Practice Plenary session took place on 30 September 2024. Chairs and Vice-Chairs appointed by the European AI Office will develop a first draft of the Code of Practice and share it with the respective Working Groups in the second Plenary session. There will be four drafting rounds between autumn 2024 and spring 2025. After 9 months, the final version of the first Code of Practice will be presented in a Closing Plenary, expected to take place in April 2025. The Code of Practice will then be widely published.
“This is a huge privilege and an opportunity to inform and regulate the development of Artificial Intelligence. We have a short timetable, and the work will be challenging, but I will dedicate my best efforts to produce balanced, practical and effective rules and outcomes” says Wayne Cleghorn.
Wayne Cleghorn’s legal practice helps UK, European, US and international companies and organisation’s solve data protection, GDPR, information law, international data privacy, information management, cybersecurity, data breach response and artificial intelligence issues and enable innovation. This includes handling all of the commercial, contracts, regulatory, investigations and enforcement issues related to data and new technology. He has been doing this work for over 20 years and has supported a wide range of sectors including financial services, fintech, information technology, ecommerce, retail, government, public services, healthcare, manufacturing and biotechnology.
Further Information:
Announcement of the EU General Purpose AI Code of Practice Chairs and Vice-Chairs
Announcement of the EU General Purpose AI Code First Plenary Session
