Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators yesterday proposed a draft artificial intelligence (AI) basic act for the development of AI technology.
The EU on Wednesday last week passed the AI Act — the first legal framework for the technology, KMT Legislator Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) told a news conference held together with the International Artificial Intelligence and Law Research Foundation.
Taiwan should create an AI basic act that would provide a legal basis for the creation of an AI system with distinct Taiwanese characteristics, Wu said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The draft act aims to alleviate fears that AI would replace humans in the workplace and encourage the public to embrace AI as a useful tool, he added.
Wu said his understanding of AI technology helped him when he worked as a prosecutor, especially regarding financial crime, adding that AI would also benefit the healthcare and transportation sectors.
“Only by getting to know and embracing AI can we maximize the benefits we can obtain from this new technology,” Wu said.
As AI technology has changed many things and provides benign responses, it is necessary to help the public to understand and embrace the technology in an appropriate manner, KMT Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said.
The KMT’s legislative caucus worked with experts to develop the draft act and would strongly advocate for its passage on the first reading, Hung said.
Hung urged the Executive Yuan to propose its own separate version of the draft as soon as possible.
He also called on the Democratic Progressive Party to recognize the technological trend, saying that, if passed, the act would facilitate industrial upgrades, increase penalties for technological crimes and improve personal information protections.
Regardless of whether the future lies in AI, the government must introduce legislation for AI systems to facilitate their growth and regulate them, KMT Legislator Ko Ju-chun (葛如均) said.
Taiwan used to be a pioneer in the tech sector, but is lagging severely in terms of AI, Ko said, adding that the draft aims to guarantee human rights and boost industrial development.
The draft provides restrictions, but is not meant to suppress development, Wu said, adding that the aim of it is to form the legal basis for AI development and increase Taiwan’s international influence in the AI industry.
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