The AI Act. A Geopolitical Tool to Foster Human Rights and Ethics

As a result of its most recent development, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is acting as a transformative agent, underpinning a wide range of applications with a significant impact on society. From a geopolitical perspective, this raises questions about both the power derived from control of this technology, which is largely in the hands of a few companies in specific geographical regions, and the use of AI for geopolitical purposes. In this scenario, the EU has adopted a third way between the market-based and autocratic approaches that characterise the other major geopolitical players. The AI Act has taken a clear position in favour of fundamental rights, rather than merely setting safety requirements. The geopolitical implications of this approach are not limited to the so-called Brussels effect and can be fully understood by looking at the existing dualism between AI-producing and AI-adopting countries, where it is crucial for the latter to set entry conditions for AI technologies to ensure that they are in line with their values. The AI Act could therefore be a model for AI-adopting countries, combining free market access with respect for key values.