Homeland Security Head Criticizes EU’s ‘Adversarial’ AI Approach

America’s homeland security chief is reportedly worried about the European Union’s approach to AI regulation.

Alejandro Mayorkas, outgoing head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT) Thursday (Dec. 19) that  Europe’s “adversarial” relationship with tech companies is hindering broader efforts to regulate artificial intelligence (AI).

He said the U.S. and Europe are not on a “strong footing” because of a difference in how they approach regulation, and stressed a need for “harmonization” across the Atlantic. Mayorkas also expressed concern that relationships between governments and the tech companies in Europe are “more adversarial” than in the U.S.

“Disparate governance of a single item creates a potential for disorder, and disorder creates a vulnerability from a safety and security perspective,” he said, adding companies would also have trouble navigating regulations across jurisdictions.

This year saw the European Union (EU) introduce its AI Act, which, as the FT notes, is considered the toughest artificial intelligence regulation in the world. The law features restrictions on “high risk” AI systems and regulations aimed at creating more transparency on how AI companies use data.

The U.K. government also plans to introduce legislation that would compel AI companies to give access to their models for safety assessments.

The British government this week also launched a consultation to clarify copyright laws concerning the use of protected materials in training AI models. The aim is to address issues such as enhancing transparency between creators and AI developers, developing licensing frameworks for the use of copyrighted materials and ensuring wide access to high-quality data for AI innovation.

“These proposals will help unlock the full potential of the AI sector and creative industries to drive innovation, investment, and prosperity across the country,” the government said in a news release.

Meanwhile, incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to revoke predecessor Joe Biden’s AI executive order, which established a safety institute to voluntarily test AI models. Trump has also picked David Sacks, a venture capitalist and noted critic of tech regulation, to serve as his AI and crypto czar.

Mayorkas told the FT he did not know if the U.S. safety institute “would stay” under the Trump administration, but warned prescriptive laws could “suffocate and harm US leadership” in the rapidly evolving AI industry.

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