Government seeks to join effort to regulate generative AI
The government will begin considering legislation to regulate generative artificial intelligence to reduce the risks posed by false information created through such technology.
According to sources, the government’s AI strategy council could meet as early as next week to compile suggestions for handling generative AI.
One suggestion will be to consider laws to regulate generative AI. The government already released guidelines about generative AI in April directed at domestic companies, but those were not legally binding.
As Europe and the United States have moved toward regulating generative AI, Japan wants to follow suit.
The AI strategy council is expected to highlight some of the advantages from generative AI, which can create documents and images after incorporating the vast amount of data available on the internet, and could serve as a means to deal with social issues.
However, the council will also point out risks posed by the developing technology, such as criminal applications or human rights violations. The council will call for consideration of legislation to prevent such dangers from occurring.
The council is expected to point out possible risks that include the spread of fake information that could undermine democracy, the development of AI weapons and the violation of intellectual property rights.
During the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima in May 2023, Japan tried to take the lead in creating global rules to deal with generative AI with the issuing of the Hiroshima AI Process document.
The April guidelines released by the government called on developers of generative AI to ensure that AI learned from appropriate data and recommended that users of the technology keep safety in mind while doing so.
The European Parliament in March passed an AI Act that will be fully implemented in 2026. The law will impose various obligations for different risk levels associated with using generative AI, as well as fines for violations.
In October 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a presidential order requiring developers of the technology to fully disclose information.
While the European Union is placing emphasis on protecting the rights of individuals, the United States is more focused on having developer companies impose their own rules because of Washington’s desire to not interfere with a major growth sector of the U.S. economy.
Discussion in Japan will proceed while taking into account the moves being made in Western nations. Legislation could be submitted to the Diet as early as next year.
The government is expected to take into consideration a draft proposal issued by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in February.
