1️⃣ Enacting the AI Basic Act: Why Now?
Since the emergence of generative AI like ChatGPT, artificial intelligence has been advancing at an incredible speed. However, alongside the benefits, unexpected side effects such as deepfake crimes, algorithmic bias, and copyright infringement are surfacing. As AI has moved beyond being a simple tool to becoming a force that exerts immense influence on society, the need for an 'AI Basic Act' and specific 'AI regulations' has never been more urgent.
2️⃣ Global AI Regulation Trends and Korea's Path
The world is currently moving fiercely to achieve two goals: securing 'AI sovereignty' and ensuring 'safe utilization.' In particular, the European Union (EU) is setting the standard for regulation by passing the world's first comprehensive 'AI Act.' In line with these global trends, South Korea is also accelerating the preparation of bills to achieve both the promotion of the AI industry and the protection of users.
- The Impact of the EU AI Act: The core is to classify AI into four levels based on risk and impose strict obligations, particularly on 'High-risk AI.'
- Characteristics of Korea's AI Basic Act: Based on the principle of 'prioritize allowance, regulate later,' discussions are focusing on strictly managing areas directly related to life and safety.
- The Dilemma between Regulation and Innovation: The biggest issue is how to enforce AI ethics without letting excessive regulation stifle technological advancement.
3️⃣ Detailed Analysis of High-Risk AI and Core Ethical Principles
What is High-risk AI?
Not all AI is subject to regulation. High-risk AI refers to artificial intelligence that can have a significant impact on life, safety, and fundamental rights, such as medical devices, autonomous vehicles, recruitment systems, and credit evaluations. These AI systems can only be launched on the market if they comply with strict requirements, including data quality management, transparency, and human oversight.
Three Essential Core Principles of AI Ethics
Transparency, Fairness, and Accountability are the key pillars of AI ethics. We must be able to explain the decision-making process of AI (Transparency), it must not discriminate based on gender or race (Fairness), and it must be clear who is responsible when problems arise (Accountability).
Prohibited AI Technologies
AI that manipulates subconsciousness, monitors through social scoring, or uses real-time remote biometric identification (except for specific law enforcement exceptions) is essentially prohibited or extremely restricted due to high potential for human rights violations.
4️⃣ AI Strategies for Businesses and Individuals
- Adopting AI Impact Assessments for Businesses: Companies developing AI services should independently conduct 'AI Impact Assessments' to identify and remove ethical risks starting from the planning stage.
- Establishing Data Governance: Management systems must be established to resolve copyright issues with training data and secure high-quality, unbiased data.
- Cultivating AI Literacy for Individuals: Users must develop digital literacy to critically check if the information they encounter is AI-generated and to avoid being deceived by false information like deepfakes.
2️⃣ Comparative Analysis: EU AI Act vs. Korea's AI Basic Act
What are the differences between the EU's bill, which is becoming a global standard, and the South Korean bill currently under discussion? Understanding the key differences helps in predicting future regulatory directions.
EU: Strong Pre-emptive Regulation Based on Risk
The EU manages AI by dividing it into four levels: 'Unacceptable Risk,' 'High-risk,' 'Limited Risk,' and 'Minimal Risk.' It features strong pre-emptive regulation, such as mandatory conformity assessments before the launch of High-risk AI. Violations can lead to fines of up to 7% of global turnover.
Why You Should Know This Difference
Domestic AI companies aiming to enter the European market must familiarize themselves with these strict standards, as export itself may become impossible if these requirements are not met in advance.
Korea: Harmony Between Industry Promotion and Safety
South Korea's AI Basic Act bill tends to lean more toward industrial promotion. It seeks a compromise that encourages innovation with a 'prioritize allowance, regulate later' principle while ensuring firm safety measures for high-risk areas. However, discussions continue as civil groups demand stronger user protection measures.
Key Points for Readers
Domestic legislation is not yet finalized, and detailed contents can be strengthened at any time according to global regulatory trends.
5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on AI Regulation
💡 Practical Tips
Recently, AI-generated videos and images on YouTube and social media have been surging. For images, if finger shapes look awkward or background text is blurred, it is highly likely to be AI-generated. Additionally, it is good to develop the habit of checking for 'AI-generated' or 'Virtual Human' labels in video descriptions.
⚠️ Points to Remember
Even for AI-synthesized images or voice clones (AI cover songs, etc.) made for fun, posting them in public or monetizing them without consent can lead to legal disputes over portrait and publicity rights. Please exercise caution.
6️⃣ Toward a Safe and Trustworthy AI Era
AI technology is already an unstoppable force. The AI Basic Act and regulations are not intended to stifle technology but are the minimum safety devices for us to use this powerful tool safely. Just as important as legal systems is the ethical awareness of all of us who develop and use the technology.
Continuous interest and monitoring are needed to ensure that technological advancement does not harm human dignity but enriches life. True AI innovation will be achieved when warm technology and cool reason harmonize.
If you are curious about more detailed AI policy trends and real-life application cases, consider subscribing to related newsletters or checking out recommended videos.
- The AI Basic Act is essential for preventing AI side effects like deepfakes and bias while ensuring safe utilization.
- Areas directly related to life and rights, such as healthcare and recruitment, are classified as 'High-risk AI' and strictly regulated.
- Transparency, Fairness, and Accountability are the three core ethical principles to follow in AI development and use.
- Businesses conducting impact assessments and individuals developing AI literacy are key competencies for the future.
0 Comments