The AI Office will be responsible for enforcing the AI Act's rules, conducting testing and evaluation of general purpose AI models, and liaising with EU Member States for the application and enforcement of the AI Act. It will also support and fund AI R&D, design and implement international engagement for AI projects with societal impact, and ensure the execution of the bloc's AI strategy. The EU Commission has already appointed the heads of several of the AI Office units, with the AI Safety unit's chief yet to be named.
Key takeaways:
- The European Union has unveiled the structure of the new AI Office, an ecosystem-building and oversight body established under the bloc’s AI Act. The AI Office will be made up of five units focusing on regulation and compliance, AI safety, excellence in AI and robotics, AI for social good, and AI innovation and policy coordination.
- The AI Office is expected to play a key role in shaping the European AI ecosystem over the coming years, regulating AI risks, fostering uptake and innovation, and exerting wider influence on the global stage.
- The AI Office will have a headcount of more than 140 people, including technical staff, lawyers, political scientists, and economists. Some 60 staff have been put in place so far, and hiring will ramp up over the next couple of years as the law is implemented and becomes fully operational.
- One key role for the AI Office will be in drawing up Codes of Practice and best practices for AI developers. The AI Office will also liaise with a range of other fora and expert bodies the AI Act will establish, including the European Artificial Intelligence Board, a scientific panel of independent experts, and a broader advisory forum.