A double history of Artificial Intelligence: technological advance and regulation process in Europe

Abstract

The upheaval caused by the launch, in November 2022, of
ChatGPT brought back to the forefront of current affairs and
social interest both the concept of artificial intelligence and the
implications of its development for all aspects of life. But despite
its importance and impact, the introduction of OpenAI’s natural
language conversational chatbot was just a new step in the
evolution of a discipline - artificial intelligence - whose scientific
and technological roots are to be found in the first half of the
20th century.
The article contains two main parts, and the first one summarizes
the evolution of artificial intelligence since then, and highlights
its main milestones, ranging from the first simple robot models
to current advanced assistants, with the very emergence of the
artificial intelligence concept in the 1950s, machine learning
algorithms, deep learning, transformers and large language
models, among other fundamental steps, coming in between.

The second part deals with the process of elaboration of the
regulation of artificial intelligence by the European institutions,
starting in 2018 and culminating in the adoption of the AI
Regulation in the European Parliament on March 13, 2024, and
by the Council on May 21, 2024. The Regulation was published
in the Official Journal of the European Union on July 12, 2024,
although it will come into force on a step-by-step basis according
to the different matters that are the subject of its regulation.
The European regulation of AI focuses on excellence and trust,
with the aim of boosting research and industrial capacity, while
ensuring safety and fundamental rights. It aims to achieve
Europe’s strategic global leadership in trusted, human-centered
AI, at the same time enabling technological innovation and
ensuring the rule of law and democracy.