More than 700 companies have expressed interest in joining the AI Pact, a preparatory commitment to help businesses prepare for the new AI Act. This is an increase from the 550 companies that initially showed interest when the first call was launched in November. The AI Act, which regulates AI models based on the risks they pose, came into force on 1 August. Some provisions will apply shortly after adoption, with general-purpose AI rules taking effect one year later and obligations for high-risk systems in three years.
Interested organizations will participate in a workshop in September to discuss pledges and provide feedback on a new draft with expanded commitments. The next step will be signing voluntary commitments in the autumn. Matteo Quattrocchi from Cisco stated that they are supportive and looking into signing up, while Jean-Marc Leclerc from IBM believes that the AI Pact will help companies understand their responsibilities under the AI Act. The goal of the AI Pact is to encourage companies to start preparing for future compliance efforts, which industry experts believe is a valuable tool.
Ultimately, the AI Pact aims to allow businesses to anticipate and comply with the new regulations, while providing a platform for collaboration and idea-sharing through workshops organized by the EU executive’s AI Office. The formalization of industry commitments is set to take place this autumn.
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