E147 ‘The EU AI Act: Building Trust and Safety in AI’ with Jared Browne, Fexco

Welcome to episode E147 of the AI Ireland podcast, the show that explores the applications and research of Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence on the island of Ireland.

Our mission is to increase the use of AI for the benefit of our society, our competitiveness and everyone living in Ireland.

Today’s guest is Jared Browne, Head of Privacy and AI Governance at Fexco. In the episode, the conversation revolves around the EU AI Act as Jared explains that while some fear regulation might stifle innovation, the EU’s goal is to build trust, safety and sustainability in AI. The goal is to ensure that people’s rights are protected, ultimately fostering a more reliable and beneficial AI landscape.

The EU AI Act is a risk-based regulation focusing on how AI technology is used rather than the technology itself. It categorises AI systems into four risk levels: unacceptable (banned), high risk (allowed with strict obligations), and limited and minimal risk (with transparency requirements). A significant consequence for non-compliance is being banned from selling AI products in the EU, a more severe repercussion than fines.

Jared highlights the complexity of the Act’s enforcement, involving multiple regulatory bodies at both EU and national levels. The Act builds on previous AI guidelines from 2018, evolving from “soft law” to “hard law” with binding regulations introduced in 2020.

Jared mentions the importance of AI providers and deployers (e.g. companies using AI tools) understanding their responsibilities under the Act, which include risk assessment, data governance, transparency and post-launch monitoring.

He also touches on the global implications of the Act, noting that while the GDPR’s general principles were widely adopted, the EU AI Act’s detailed and complex requirements may not be as easily replicated in other jurisdictions. This complexity is compounded by different countries’ varying values and regulatory approaches.

Jared advises companies to start preparing for compliance, particularly focusing on banned use cases and establishing responsible AI practices. He underscores the importance of balancing innovation with ethical considerations, the challenges of enforcing AI regulations, and the need for global cooperation to create a harmonised approach to AI governance.

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