Why AI Discussions Are So Boring in the EU: A Rant

Many of the current AI discussions in the EU often feel like two sides of the same coin that we keep flipping over and over in various forums and variations.

On one side of the coin, there’s constant complaining about how the EU’s push for regulation is stifling innovation by trying to control and guide AI’s growth. On the other side, there’s an overwhelming focus on AI ethics and risks, which I think often stifles innovation further and creates unnecessary doomsday scenarios.

Don’t get me wrong — regulation and ethics aren’t the problem; they’re essential.

Yet, it seems very difficult to have a reasonable AI discussion without these topics taking over the public sphere. Regulation and ethics are the rules of the game, and we need to learn how to play by them.

What I’d like to see more of are reasonable discussions about the game itself. What is the grand vision of European AI? What can we achieve with AI? What value can AI bring? How can AI help solve the pressing environmental problems we’re facing? Or protect us from increasingly malicious cyberattacks, often orchestrated by hostile state actors?

Let’s focus on mastering the game, rather than just endlessly debating the rules!