Japan to Start Discussing AI Regulations as Early as Summer

Tokyo, May 22 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese government council Wednesday decided to start discussions as early as this summer on regulations mainly for generative artificial intelligence developers. 

As work to make AI-related regulations has progressed in Europe and the United States, Japan will discuss introducing legislation that will work with guidelines for business operators drawn up in April.
 

Wednesday's meeting of the government's AI Strategy Council was attended by experts and cabinet ministers, including science and technology policy minister Sanae Takaichi.
 

Mainly covering generative AI developers, the envisaged regulations will be considered in hopes of preventing the development of AI technologies that could lead to human rights violations, weapons production, crimes and terrorism.
 

The council will also discuss whether industry-specific regulations can be applied to AI service providers and users, given the need to mitigate risks from the application of generative AI technologies to medical equipment and self-driving vehicles.
 

AI developers, service providers and users considered to have lower risk of causing negative impact would be subject to the guidelines, instead of legal rules.
 

The European Union on Tuesday enacted its AI act to regulate AI development and use. In October last year, U.S. President Joe Biden issued an executive order obliging AI developers to report the results of their safety checks.
 

In April this year, Japan released the guidelines for AI business operators, leaving them to take necessary measures themselves. Some people, however, have called for regulations.
END