European Commission warns of AI safety risks due to intense competition

European Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen has expressed concern that intense global competition in the artificial intelligence sector is causing companies to neglect essential safety testing. Speaking at an international AI summit in Dublin, Virkkunen stated that companies must maintain control over their systems, noting instances where developers lacked full knowledge of their agents' actions.

As AI models become increasingly complex and difficult to evaluate, Virkkunen emphasized the necessity of allowing experts sufficient time to conduct thorough testing. The European Commission has already issued requests for information to major AI firms regarding their safety measures and external evaluation processes. These actions fall under the regulatory powers granted by the EU AI Act, which aims to address issues ranging from system security to the protection of intellectual property rights.