US, EU, UK, and others sign legally enforceable AI treaty

The US, UK, and European Union have signed the first “legally binding” treaty on AI, which is supposed to ensure its use aligns with “human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” according to the Council of Europe.

The treaty, called the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, lays out key principles AI systems must follow, such as protecting user data, respecting the law, and keeping practices transparent. Each country that signs the treaty must “adopt or maintain appropriate legislative, administrative or other measures” that reflect the framework.

Andorra, Georgia, Iceland, Norway, the Republic of Moldova, San Marino, and Israel also signed the framework, which has been in the works since 2019.

Over the past several months, we’ve seen a swath of other AI safety agreements emerge — but the majority don’t have consequences for the signatories who break their commitments. Even though this new treaty is supposed to be “legally binding,” the Financial Times points out that “compliance is measured primarily through monitoring, which is a relatively weak form of enforcement.”

Still, the treaty could serve as a blueprint for countries developing their own laws surrounding AI. The US has bills in the works related to AI, the EU already passed landmark regulations on AI, and the UK is considering its own. California is also getting close to passing an AI safety law that giants like OpenAI have pushed back against.

“We must ensure that the rise of AI upholds our standards, rather than undermining them,” Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić says in a statement. “The Framework Convention is designed to ensure just that. It is a strong and balanced text — the result of the open and inclusive approach.” The treaty will come into force three months after five signatories ratify it.