The US government is challenging the European Union’s future guidelines on advanced artificial intelligence systems, warning that the proposed framework could create an undue burden on developers and potentially curtail innovation. According to Bloomberg, the US mission to the EU recently sent letters to the European Commission and several member state governments, urging them to reassess the code of practice currently under development.
Although still voluntary, this code is designed to help AI companies comply with the EU’s broader artificial intelligence laws. Violation of this law can result in significant penalties. This is 7% of the company’s global revenue for certain violations, and 3% especially for developers of high-risk AI models. However, critics, including US officials and industry leaders, argue that the voluntary framework goes beyond the scope of the law itself and imposes unnecessarily strict obligations on a per-Bloomberg basis.
The Trump administration has consistently expressed skepticism about Europe’s increasingly assertive approach to digital governance. At the World Economic Forum held in Davos earlier this year, President Trump criticized the EU’s regulatory agenda and called it a “form of taxation” that unfairly targets American businesses. Tensions have grown even further as US lawmakers, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, voiced concerns that EU digital policies could violate Americans’ rights to free speech.
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A letter sent from the US mission reportedly labeled the AI code of practice as overly troublesome and called for the EU to suspend phased implementation of AI law until Washington’s objections were addressed. According to Bloomberg, the US has even offered to offer it to technical experts who engage with EU officials to clarify its position.
European Commission spokesman Thomas Leisure confirmed the receipt of the letter in response to an inquiry from Bloomberg. However, neither the White House nor the US mission to the EU immediately commented.
The European Commission oversees the development of AI codes of practice, with input from technology companies, copyright holders and civil society organizations. The final version of the document is expected to be released next month and will be requested to be hired with the approval of EU institutions and national representatives.
The major US tech companies are not refusing to express their disapproval. Meta’s head of world affairs Joel Kaplan described the proposed rules as “unfeasible and unfeasible” during a virtual appearance at the Brussels policy event in February. The alphabet has similarly criticised the provisions that require copyright enforcement and independent testing of drafts, particularly AI models, Bloomberg reported.
As the EU pushes its efforts to become a global standard setter for AI governance, the transatlantic disparities over digital policy appear to be growing. It reinforces questions about how international cooperation on AI regulation will advance in the face of political and commercial priorities.
Source: Bloomberg
