Brussels my love? Get ready, get set for a major year of elections around the world

Summary

The discussion in the transcript revolves around the challenges and prospects of the year 2024, with a particular focus on the European Union. Key topics include the upcoming elections across the globe, the recently negotiated AI Act in the EU, and its potential impact on businesses and AI development. Panelists share their views on the importance of increasing public participation in elections, the need for a more concrete and positive vision for Europe, and the role of AI in shaping the future. The conversation also touches on the potential influence of the US elections on Europe and the world, highlighting the complex and multifaceted nature of current geopolitical dynamics.

Takeaways

• 🎉 The year 2024 has begun with challenges similar to those of 2023, but with notable differences such as global elections and new regulations on AI.
• 🗳️ Elections are a key focus for 2024, with two billion voters worldwide, including 400 million Europeans, set to vote in various polls, including the European Parliament election.
• 🤖 The EU has recently negotiated the AI Act, the world's first comprehensive regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, set to come into effect in two years.
• 🌐 The AI Act classifies risks associated with AI and prohibits certain high-risk applications, such as social credit scoring and real-time biometric identification in public places.
• 📈 The Act aims to balance innovation with risk management, ensuring that AI can be used responsibly while fostering technological advancement.
• 🌟 European citizens express a desire for more happiness, better jobs, and peace in the world, indicating a need for policies that address well-being and quality of life.
• 🚀 Despite concerns about AI regulation, there is optimism that the EU's approach could become a global model for balancing innovation with ethical considerations.
• 📊 The EU's focus on mental health and well-being is highlighted as a priority, with calls for more support and resources in these areas.
• 🌍 The geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, with implications from elections in the US potentially impacting Europe and the world significantly.
• 🔍 The EU's efforts to increase voter turnout and engagement are emphasized, with strategies such as town halls and addressing local concerns.
• 🤔 The panelists share their personal goals for 2024, ranging from professional ambitions to personal milestones, reflecting a diverse and optimistic outlook.

Q & A

What are some of the major global elections taking place in 2024?

In 2024, significant elections are happening across various countries including India, Russia, South Africa, the United States, and the European Parliament elections in Europe.

What is the AI Act and when is it expected to come into force?

The AI Act is a set of rules developed by the European Union to regulate high-risk AI models and systems. It is expected to come into force in two years after the deal was clinched in December.

What are some applications of AI that the AI Act considers too risky to be placed on the market?

The AI Act prohibits applications such as social credit scoring, certain forms of predictive policing, and using real-time biometric data to identify people in public places, as they are considered too risky.

How does the AI Act categorize AI applications?

The AI Act categorizes AI applications based on a classification of risks, identifying which applications are too risky to be placed on the market and those that are considered high-risk but can be regulated.

What is the general sentiment towards the AI Act among the panelists?

The panelists have mixed views on the AI Act. Some see it as a necessary framework to regulate risky AI applications, while others express concerns about the potential impact on innovation and the competitiveness of European companies.

What are some of the challenges the European Union faces in terms of AI development and adoption?

The European Union faces challenges such as a lower adoption rate of AI compared to the US and China, a lack of sufficient venture capital, and the need for a more risk-tolerant business environment to foster innovation.

What is the 'Brussels effect' mentioned by one of the panelists?

The 'Brussels effect' refers to the global influence of EU regulations, where the standards and rules set by the EU often become a benchmark or a model for other countries to follow.

What are some of the expectations and wishes for Europe in 2024 according to the panelists?

The panelists wish for Europe to focus more on the well-being of its citizens, find a development model and vision for the future, and rebuild its identity with an emphasis on people, planet, and prosperity.

How does the AI Act aim to protect against the misuse of AI in sensitive areas?

The AI Act aims to protect against misuse by prohibiting certain high-risk AI applications, such as those involving social credit scoring and real-time biometric data in public places, and by regulating other high-risk uses to ensure they are used responsibly.

What are the concerns regarding the impact of the AI Act on smaller companies?

There are concerns that the AI Act and the upcoming tsunami of regulations might be too challenging for smaller companies to implement, potentially hindering innovation and growth among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

How does the panelist, Laura Shields, feel about AI and its role in her work?

Laura Shields finds AI helpful in her work, particularly for tasks like generating fake EU regulations for training exercises. However, she expresses discomfort with the AI's tendency to produce false information with confidence.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Welcome to 2024: A Year of Elections and AI Regulation

The video script opens with a warm welcome to the year 2024 and sets the stage for a year marked by significant global elections and the implementation of the AI Act, the first of its kind. The discussion revolves around the challenges carried over from 2023, the impact of the AI Act on companies developing AI, and the importance of the European Parliament elections. The panel, consisting of notable figures from various sectors, shares their perspectives on the state of democracy, the role of AI in society, and their hopes for a more hopeful and optimistic future.

05:01

🗳️ Voter Turnout and Trust in European Institutions

This paragraph delves into the intricacies of voter turnout across different European countries and the factors influencing voter motivation. It highlights the disparity in turnout rates between countries like Belgium, where voting is compulsory, and Croatia, where turnout was notably low. The conversation touches on the disconnect between EU institutions and citizens, the influence of past scandals, and the role of national issues in shaping voting behavior. The panelists emphasize the need for European parties to offer concrete, positive solutions and the importance of communication strategies that resonate with voters.

10:02

🌿 The Greens and the Left: Facing Challenges in the European Landscape

The paragraph focuses on the challenges faced by the Greens and the Left in Europe, as they struggle to maintain momentum in the political landscape. The discussion includes the need for these groups to connect the cost of living crisis with the green agenda, emphasizing energy security and long-term benefits. The panelists also touch on the cyclical nature of political support and the potential for a resurgence of the Greens in the future. The conversation further explores the relationship between traditional parties and the emergence of new dynamics within the European Parliament.

15:05

📊 Elections, AI, and the Future of European Democracy

This section of the script discusses the impact of upcoming elections on the European political scene, including the potential shifts in power dynamics within the European Parliament. The conversation includes speculations on election outcomes and the influence of external factors such as the US elections on Europe. The panelists also address the importance of adapting to new technologies and the role of AI regulation in safeguarding democratic values. The discussion highlights the need for a strong European response to global challenges and the pursuit of a more inclusive and effective European Union.

20:06

🤖 Regulating AI: Balancing Innovation and Risk Management

The paragraph explores the EU's approach to AI regulation through the AI Act, focusing on the classification of risks and the prohibition of certain high-risk AI applications. The panelists discuss the challenges of regulating a rapidly evolving technology like AI and the importance of striking a balance between innovation and risk management. The conversation includes insights from representatives of major tech companies and the concerns of smaller businesses regarding the implementation of the AI Act. The panelists emphasize the need for an ecosystem of trust and excellence in the European AI landscape.

25:09

🌟 Personal Goals and Wishes for Europe in 2024

In this final paragraph, the panelists share their personal goals and aspirations for the year 2024, as well as their wishes for Europe. Topics range from personal career milestones to the desire for a more peaceful and prosperous world. The discussion highlights the importance of well-being, mental health, and the need for a more compassionate approach to politics. The panelists express their hopes for a Europe that prioritizes the well-being of its citizens and finds a renewed sense of identity and purpose.

Keywords

💡Elections

Elections refer to the process of choosing leaders or representatives through voting. In the context of the video, it highlights the significance of the upcoming global elections, including those in India, Russia, South Africa, the US, and the European Parliament. These events are crucial as they shape the political landscape and influence policy-making.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. In the video, AI is discussed in relation to the new rules and regulations being implemented by the EU, aiming to manage high-risk AI models and systems.

💡Democracy

Democracy is a form of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives. The video emphasizes the challenges and importance of maintaining and strengthening democratic processes, especially in light of recent crises and the perceived 'on the line' state of democracy.

💡European Union (EU)

The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member countries that are located primarily in Europe. The EU has its own institutions and exercises legal jurisdiction over its members. In the video, the EU is central to discussions about the upcoming elections, the AI Act, and the future direction of the union.

💡Voter Turnout

Voter turnout refers to the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. It is an important measure of civic engagement and the health of a democracy. The video script mentions efforts to increase voter turnout in the European Parliament elections and the challenges faced in engaging the electorate.

💡Deep Fakes

Deep fakes are synthetic media in which a person's likeness—face, voice, and speech patterns—are convincingly replaced with someone else's. This technology has raised concerns about misinformation and its potential to disrupt democratic processes. In the video, deep fakes are mentioned as a challenge faced by the political campaign and the need for preparedness and response strategies.

💡Green Agenda

The Green Agenda refers to a set of policies and initiatives aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and combating climate change. In the video, the Green Agenda is discussed in the context of the European political landscape, with the need for the left and green parties to reconnect with voters and effectively communicate the importance of environmental policies.

💡Transparency

Transparency refers to the quality of being open and honest, especially in financial matters, so that the public can scrutinize and understand the actions of institutions or individuals. In the video, transparency is discussed as a critical factor in rebuilding trust between the EU institutions and its citizens.

💡Digital Identity

Digital identity refers to the online representation of a person's identity, often used for authentication and access to digital services. In the video, the concept of a European digital identity is mentioned as a potential future development that could change the way Europeans vote and participate in the democratic process.

💡Well-being

Well-being refers to the state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy. In the video, well-being is emphasized as a central focus for policy-making, with the desire for the European Union to prioritize the well-being of its citizens and address issues such as mental health and quality of life.

Highlights

Happy belated New Year 2024 has arrived, bringing with it the same challenges of 2023.

Bumper elections worldwide, including 400 million European voters, will have their say on the new European Parliament.

EU negotiators have clinched a deal on artificial intelligence known as the AI Act, the first of its kind globally.

The AI Act will come into force in two years, potentially serving as the playbook for the 21st century.

The panel discussion includes key figures such as Di dson, Secretary General of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, Laura Shields, and Andrea Renda.

The countdown to the elections has begun, with about 150 days left to convince voters.

The importance of voter turnout is emphasized, with strategies to engage and listen to the electorate.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the cost of living crisis on people's lives is acknowledged.

The European Parliament elections are seen as a critical point, with all eyes on the 6th to 9th June.

The EU's communication strategy involves organizing Town Halls across Europe to engage with voters.

The issue of trust between Brussels, EU institutions, and citizens is discussed, with the Qatar gate scandal mentioned.

Deep fakes and their potential impact on the election campaign are a concern and a reality that has been experienced.

Predictions for the European Parliament's composition post-elections are made, with conservatives and socialists leading.

The challenge for the Greens and the Left is to regain momentum and link the cost of living crisis to the green agenda.

The Socialists and the European People's Party are not getting along as well as they used to, reflecting a broader divisiveness.

The impact of the US elections on Europe is anticipated, with potential major implications for NATO and Ukraine.

The AI Act focuses on regulating uses and applications of AI, with a list of prohibited AI applications.

The EU's approach to AI regulation is seen as a balance between over-regulation and under-regulation.

The AI Act aims to build a classification of risks and identify applications that are too risky to be placed on the market.

The EU's AI regulations are expected to influence global standards, but challenges in venture capital and talent retention are noted.

The need for an ecosystem of excellence in the EU, including investment and support for startups, is emphasized.

The panel shares personal plans for 2024, focusing on innovation, influence, and the well-being of people.

The importance of peace, better jobs, and health are highlighted as common wishes for the year.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello there and welcome to Brussels my

love yur news's weekly chat show that

looks at all the news Brewing here in

Brussels I'm mave McMahan thanks for

tuning in coming up this week happy

belated New Year 2024 has arrived and

with it the same challenges of of

2023 but what makes this year different

bumper elections all across the globe

from India to Russia South Africa to the

US two billion voters will be heading to

the polls including here in Europe when

400 million of us will have our say on

the new faces making up the European

Parliament and after Marathon talks EU

negotiators clinched a deal on

artificial intelligence recently known

as the AI act it would become the first

ever ruled book in the world and would

come into force in two years we take a

closer look at what it could mean for us

and for companies developing Ai and

check if it really can become the

playbook for the 21st century a warm

welcome to our panel this weekend di

dson Secretary General of the alliance

of liberals and democrats for Europe

Laura Shields managing director of red

thread EU and Andrea render director of

research at the think tank here in

Brussels seps and also a university

professor over in Florence at the eui

the European University Institute so

here we are in

2024 still discussing all the various

issues that are on the table are you

happy to see this year start I have a

countdown clock for where the elections

are coming and so uh uh we're about at

150 days we passed 150 Mark and I think

that is that shows how how soon it is

and and that our time to convince is now

it's going to be a busy year Laura it's

going to be a very busy year and I think

that it's really important that whoever

is campaigning or whoever is actually

going out to talk to the electorate

firstly needs to get them to vote

because everybody is tired Fed Up and

finding life expensive and that they

need to offer them something that they

can actually be hopeful for rather than

just voting for Log Jam which is how

people are feeling right now Andrea

people are tired Fed Up also anxious

with the constant news cycle yeah it's

going to be an interesting year um it

could go either way uh we have been

surprises mostly on the negative side

over the past years maybe we get good

surprises these year elections are

always turning points and so I would not

say Europe is at the crossroads because

we say it every year Europe is always at

the crossroads and also we con for the

last eight years we've been told that at

every election democracy is on the line

and I think that's a really hard sell

for people now um even though since in

since the last five years since we had

the last European elections of course

we've had covid we've had the war in

Ukraine we've had Gaza we've got

inflation cost of living crisis I mean

things are very very tough for people

right now but I think the Democracy as

on the line argument it's going to be

very difficult for people to St stach

well look as we said there'll be

elections all across the globe us India

the UK even H Russia as well and Ukraine

in March but here in Europe All Eyes Of

course will be on those 6th to 9th June

European Parliament elections and we

spoke to jam Duke that is the

spokesperson for the European Parliament

and he's sounding pretty confident that

people in Europe will be willing to

vote in 2019 there was a significant

increase in turnout now the polls are

tell tell us that the number of people

who have already announced that they are

interested in voting is also more or

less 10 points higher than 5 years ago

so indeed I think we have an obligation

to be optimistic because the data is

good the world has become a much more

complicated place than before the new

generations have even more problems than

previous generations had but in the end

that gives even more value to the

European

project J Duke there speaking now 2019

voter turnout was just over 50% 2014 was

42.618137 you and elements as we are

going to discuss the AI but also uh uh

the elements of of of candada states for

Ukraine it makes it a bit more

operational and but but I raised the

stakes still because I always wanted to

make sure that there's a higher turnout

but now I actually want a higher

turnouts but also not just based on fear

or on element but also because they

actually care so what's your plan then

what's your strategy I think our real

strategy what we we we pulled we really

checked out our voters not only through

the traditional but we organize Town

Halls You could argue it's a lot it's a

little look we we covered in the last

year 8 or9 Town Halls all over all over

Europe and and what matters there is

indeed people want to feel listen even

more than to provide answers and that's

a good deal because it's quite difficult

to offer answers to to everything but at

least it's a recognition because we even

we feel it uh uh the the risk of and and

the difficulties of the energy Bills

going up Etc especially in rural Europe

people are feeling a little bit left

behind a little bit disenchanted

especially with the green agenda as well

coming coming thick um I just want to

touch on the the voter turnout here in

Belgium Andrea Rend it was really really

high because it's obligatory here to

vote but meanwhile over in Croatia it

was down at 29.8 that's very few people

that went to vote yeah one thing is V

turn out and will be very different

across countries the other thing is the

motivation to vote as you were saying

right uh some people will go to vote but

to express support for their National

political parties with having a clue

about what's the agenda for Europe and I

think at the moment uh given the level

of communication from the EU to the

local level uh I think it's still easier

for um a citizen of the European Union

to go to the ballot to vote against the

idea of Europe than to vote for

something that is in the program of one

of the political parties or coalitions

that is pro is uh in support of a

stronger Europe and this I think is a

problem and I think it's yet another

missed opportunity I hope that in six

years we will not go back to the vote

with the same uh sort of informational

asymmetry if you will and Laura of

course trust has eroded as well between

Brussels the EU institutions and

citizens given that Qatar gate that

alleged corruption Scandal back in

December 20122 well I wonder how much

that actually plays in member states I

mean I'm always amazed I was talking to

a friend of mine who used to be a sort

of bureau chief for one of the major

newspapers here and he's covered

Brussels for 10 years inside and out and

the minute he went back to London

it was like Brussels didn't exist

anymore I think we here get very

obsessed by it I think it might

penetrate a little bit I don't know how

much trust is an issue in there I would

actually agree with Andrea here which is

I think a lot of the time people vote

for National issues or they vote against

Europe which is what a lot of these

populists offer because the impact of

what happens in Brussels is not felt

here it's felt elsewhere and people

don't really understand it so it's very

easy for people to say the EU is a

terrible thing and project onto it

whatever they want so I think we should

expect a lot more of that but I think

that if European parties should be

offering something that's much more

positive but that's also really concrete

and I think that's where the EU has

historically struggled to communicate

it's always the view from 30,000 ft

rather than how are you going to help me

invest in I don't know a heat pump or

solar Ps or insulating my house think

concrete that is the word right I mean

but there's one reality that's also

going to happen is that regardless of of

which level of Elections you will have a

higher turn out when it's local when

it's very easy to say you want a street

left right so we have to set Ambitions a

bit straight if you compare the voting

turnout at EU level at for European

elections at the one at local one I I

don't think it's a full fair game so the

oper because the operational element is

much more complex it is a complex

element I mean if if you uh uh have a

party trick where I can try to explain

the Belgian system in 30 seconds but

there's no way I can explain Cod

decision in 30 seconds do you need to

then well if you can explain a belg

system in 30 seconds that's already

worth of a Noel prize accept now can I

say one thing on the on what what you

were saying I mean the the the Qatar

gate is essentially or largely involv in

countries like Italy or Greece and so on

so being Italian myself and and reading

the the the national press uh I can say

this is completely disappeared the

attention span of the of the voters is

so short that this has left no Trace

maybe if something happens uh you know

uh in terms of a court decision or or a

new development you will find in a page

15 of some of the major newspapers or

something like deep fakes what if I mean

deep fate could play a major role in

this campaign is that something that

you're prepared for well we we not only

were prepared but we re experien it so

we had our Slovak elections last year in

September 2023 where there was at one

point one of our leaders and there was a

deep fake audio segment where he said it

would increase and as a Belgian increase

the price of beer uh so obviously that

that made a whole uproar but they

managed to find the specialists in the

US that managed to show that this was a

fake audio fragment and they managed to

fight it so not only are we ready for it

but we actually experienced it and I

think liberals often in the center will

be targeted for this and this is why the

elements we'll discuss after of of AI

regulation is also important for that

well let's um now take a look at what

the European Parliament could look like

after the elections this year now

obviously we're speculating but we do

have a hint from the brussels-based poll

aggregator Europe elect they've already

published their first projections you

can take a look there the conservatives

are predicted to stay up on top followed

by the Socialists then renew Europe and

Dedrick you're of course the alde

party's affiliated with renew Europe and

the fourth could be identity and

democracy uh the farri group group who

tend not to participate that much um in

the Daily Business of the European

Parliament and often vote against a

number of of um of issues if you can see

now they have 76 members of the European

Parliament ID and are set to have

between 81 and 91 and what's really

telling from that graph is the greens

right down at the bottom there the pile

and the left Laura well I think that

disappeared I don't think they've just

disappeared I think the challenge on it

is is that the Europeans the greens and

the left don't have the momentum at the

moment all the momentum it seems to be

with the far right but also even the EP

is Dancing with the far right even

though they say they're not I mean we

really don't know at one level you've

got the EP that come out and say oh no

we never do deals with the um the far

right because we believe in the cord on

sanit but then you get these noises and

sort of frankly misinformation campaigns

around things like the nature

restoration law where they're saying you

know they're off they're trying to offer

a simple solution by saying we're just

going to hold back all of this green

regulation that's coming from Brussels

and I think that what the greens and the

left but particularly the greens haven't

yet managed to do is they need to lean

in and go much harder and Link the cost

of living crisis to the green agenda and

actually talk about jobs they need to

talk about why it's important for Europe

to have energy security why pushing

pulling back now is not the answer and

is not going to be cheaper in the long

term from our perspective I think do

they have ironically the greens are not

always sustainable politically I mean

it's often cyclical so I really I really

don't like uh I really don't like

predictions too much but they really

have an element of cycle so I wouldn't

be surprised if in five years they come

back again very strong but there is an

element of some of this is because

they're in Coalition in Germany too so

they're going to get sumped there that

could be that could be the element but

there there is a reality is that it's

also not a quick fix and so so if you

want quick results it's it's not an

element where there are quick results so

that is a but another issue Andre is

we've seen as well the Socialists and

the European people's party so the

conservatives the traditional groups who

normally got on great they're not

getting on as well as they were they're

not getting on on as well as they were

there is also a moment in which even in

Brussels the green narrative is not the

strongest and so there are many divisive

factors at the moment we've heard the

State of the Union speech from Ula fion

I at some points I thought I was back in

early 2000s uh because uh there's

emphasis on competitiveness the emphasis

of cutting administrative burdens

dispositioning as a pretty much as a pro

business pro uh say doing business

approach that's why she wants to get the

job again so she's got to appeal to her

own party reates on on the Socialist and

Democrats that obviously have a

different agenda there it's very

divisive in that respect we really have

the experience of having to facilitate

between two parties that don't cooporate

as much so the element of K makers is is

something that's really in our DNA was

very strong now and we really have uh

the green deal they needed our vote so

it's a very comfortable position to be

and I really hope uh um for us it's

really important to keep that that

position uh often to to find agreements

between the two big political families

it's it's an element that we've really

the the power we've had during this this

this term gives also great

responsibility for next one and and

obviously dedri the more MEPS you have

uh the more power you have the more

speaking time you have the more Pricks

and the more money you have as well for

your messaging so it would be very

interesting to see how that goes for the

time being J duuk and you met him

earlier the spokesperson of the European

Parliament he's not too phased about

these projections take a

listen even these parties that were once

practically in of leaving the European

Union are now making other types of

proposals that do not consist so much of

leaving because it's cold outside but

rather of trying to adapt the European

Union to what they believe it should be

I obviously prefer that the European

Union not only continues to function as

it has done up to now but that if

possible it functions better because

that is going to benefit us all I

believe that in any case the EU will

always be an added value never the

opposite Jamie Duke there sing pretty

pretty relaxed but what's interesting as

well we've seen MEPS a lot of them are

trying to create one day for us all to

vote the Europe day the 9th of May they

also want to make it easier for the 11

million Europeans that don't necessarily

live in the country they were born and

don't have such rights to vote I mean

there's so much work and perhaps treaty

changes that has to be done to make this

exciting this election exciting H Laura

well I think it's always struggled with

that I mean I think people will come out

and vote if they know how to and they've

got interesting Personalities in there I

think part of the I know this is what

the EU tried to do with the spits and

candidate process but the problem is

you're only your candidates are only as

good as the ones you get aren't they

it's imperfect it's definitely imperfect

but the reality is my kids that are now

living in Belgium but they're Swedish

the reality that they because they live

here right now have to vote for a

Belgian just doesn't make sense it's not

going to last at one point of course we

we've been advocating for transist for a

long time but the reality is it's going

to happen at one point because you're

going to get more of this strange

situation where just because you happen

to be registered somewhere I say that

this is the last election without a

fully fledged European digital identity

and I think perhaps in uh 5 years time

there will be uh there will be a

different way of voting and

personalities you said I mean that's

always an interesting one to watch as

well we'll see who the big personalities

of the next legislator are but look I

really have to talk about a major

election even though we think the

elections here in Europe are huge but

actually it's the elections that are

taking place in November over in the

United States that will have a massive

impact on us here in Europe a massive

impact on the world and as it stands it

looks like two male seniors could be um

up for up for that seat and we wanted to

find out more about what the mood was

now in January over in the United States

so we chatted to Alan Abramovich he's a

political scientist and author at Emer

University in Georgia among Republican

voters despite everything that's

happened Trump remains very popular and

in fact uh the indictments and various

attacks on him if anything all these

things reinforce the Loyalty of his

supporters um and they uh contribute to

a perception that he is a victim what we

know is that he's planning to surround

himself in a second term with uh uh

advisers and and and cabinet members who

would be uh much more supportive of his

authoritarian and anti-democratic goals

than officials were during his first

term in office Alan Abramovich their

political scientist um talking about a

potential second um Trump president see

despite of course the news before

Christmas from a top Court in Colorado I

mean this um Trump presidency number two

Andrea could have a Major Impact here we

could see America pulling out of NATO we

could see a change of T in Ukraine well

it it's a nightmare and it's impossible

to understand from our perspective uh I

actually was living in the US when Trump

was elected I was a professor Duke uh

and so very close to

Georgia and um I you see how the belly

of of the country the Midwest is is

really disenfranchised completely from

some some of the of the federal policies

and they really see even if you know

someone who's far from being

representative of what they experience

as being a reason to you know to to uh

um to vote together to as a protest vote

and to support someone irrespective of

whether that person has respected the

law or not or whether it appears as a

good person or not and so sense of

concern here in um in Brussels I mean

it's obviously speculation but Trump too

I mean could have a major impa yeah he

could I mean I think sales of Xanax will

probably go through the roof if he gets

reelected I mean I am not as fatalist

and I think we need to be really careful

about this it's still you know what 10

11 months until the elections and I

think it's really important that once he

comes into Focus as the candidate you

know a lot of Americans don't like the

crazy you know I mean and they will make

that decision closer to the time and

this is not me saying they're going to

overlook everything about Biden but I

think we need to take this with a pinch

of salt on the point about what it could

mean for Europe just on NATO actually

last week or the week before last the

senate pass passed and Congress passed a

vote that was basically going to Nato

proof or US president proof NATO's um

membership so that Donald Trump can't

just pull people uh the the us out

unilaterally but he can still make life

very difficult and it's also a wakeup

call here in Europe for that you can't

just rely on Uncle Sam for defense no

and they shouldn't have to I mean Obama

said the same thing he just said it

quietly I mean Europe does need to pull

its own weight on defense Trump isn't

wasn't always wrong he was just

Difficult about how he went about doing

it and unpleasant and on the two party

even made some sense that's not but I

think on on it it also shows the

complexity of having only two options

that's that's my vision as a European

but and sometimes I also frustrated

having 10 European political parties and

coalitions of eight parties in countries

like Belgium but but the reality is it

gives it gives more Nuance more repres

public Choice than than uh and just very

briefly we're running out of time but

elections um on the 17th of March I

believe in Russia at the end of um March

in Ukraine interesting times very

interesting times we'll see what Happ

happens the problem in Ukraine at the

moment is uh even bigger than the

problem of Elections is getting support

now there is a a prospect of having some

15 million people needing humanitarian

Aid in Ukraine uh next year so even

before the elections the thing is

getting getting support not only in

terms of material support weapons and so

on but also the money that is being

blocked and I think this is a very bad

dark page in the history of the European

Union at the moment having someone that

is really standing against providing

support to Ukraine well we will keep an

eye on all those elections it would be a

fascinating uh year for us here at Euro

news reporting on all those elections

and hearing of course how they impact us

here in Europe but it's time now to take

a very short break afterwards we'll be

taking a look at if it's possible to

regulate AI see you

[Music]

soon welcome back to Brussels my love

with me mave McMahon now it's 2024 and

although as you've seen we cannot

predict election outcomes we can be sure

of one thing and that is that AI will

evolve at the speed of light this year

and become more and more part of our

lives in order to get ahead the EU has

got a plan up its sleeve a deal was

sealed in December on new rules to

regulate high-risk AI models and systems

including a list of where I AI is

prohibited of course the devil is in the

details Andrea I mean you've followed

these negotiations extremely closely can

you elaborate more on this deal what

exactly was reached well the first

important question is asking whether AI

can be regulated at all and there's many

people that would say no it cannot be

regulated it goes too fast it's too

pervasive it's too multifaceted and

indeed the answer from the EU is uh

largely no we're not regulating AI we're

regulating uses and applications of AI

with one exception that I will explain

in a second so the idea of the AI Act is

to build a classification of risks and

we're building uh identifying

applications that are too risky to be

placed on the market and so these are

simply prohibited meaning we don't know

how to mitigate the risks in a

sufficient way so social credit scoring

or uh uh pred certain forms of

predictive policing or using a realtime

uh biometric data to identify people in

public places all these are largely

falling in that category um there are

other uh applications that have been

pre-identified but hopefully the list

will have to evolve over time which are

considered to be highrisk and by are

regulated and because of course it'll

take time as well for this to be

actually come into force and dedri your

political party are they in favor of

this deal that was sealed because

obviously you're probably thinking about

companies as well and trying to get it

right for them well we've been very

proactive on this so it was under eura

andon so this is an element that is a

compromise it is imperfect but it has

the elements of guaranteeing both the

freedoms uh uh to still be able to use

AI obviously in the field I think what

made it successful is indeed as you

rightfully point out is to reput some

Risky Business AI in medical elements uh

is something you have to be careful in

policing is something be careful and

there I think the frame is very good to

basically said look if it's human

trafficking if it's a questions of

terrorism then there is a way to use it

but we managed to protect from the

Chinese point system and that is there

so there are it's imperfect it is a

compromise but I think the elements that

we are do you know how we usually joke

around here in Brussels about saying EU

invents uh China copies EU regulates

it's not really a joke anymore because

we sometimes regulations goes a bit too

far but this is one example where we put

set frames uh with the info we have now

uh so we don't exaggerating over

regulating but we also don't leave it

fully free and manage to protect the fre

it's called the Brussels effect right

yeah but I have an objection to that but

uh okay we'll hear it but let's just

hear briefly from Laura your take on

this and AI in general I mean what do

you think of it do you use it and how do

you feel when you hear the likes of Elon

Musk say it will steal all our jobs I

don't pay attention to anything Elon

Musk says for anymore or ever in fact uh

what do I do I do use it I find it

really helpful for um supporting me on

my job because I get it to write me fake

EU regulations for training exercises

although you you do have to prompt it to

be way more jargony in order to get it

right where I'm really uncomfortable

with it is with the hallucinations so

where it actually projects stuff in a

really confident way that turns out to

be completely false so for example I

ched a panel a couple of weeks ago I

asked it to help me with some questions

I asked it to find me some quotes that

people had not chat GPT it was one of

the search engines and I asked it to

have find me some quotes from people who

were going to be on those panels to see

what they' said and the links to the

sources and it made them up three of the

four guests it completely made them up

and it was really confident yeah it

doesn't have that information yet I

definitely rely on my questions for now

better than AI exactly the point it's

great but you have to know what you're

using with it and what the liit to get

to know us better um but I would I also

wanted to hear what big companies um

feel about this AI act like Amazon meta

Tik Tok Google um so we caught up with

their representative here in Brussels

that Cecilia bonel she's the head of

digital Europe there is two sides of the

point h of course it's always very

positive when the EU has one regulation

instead of 27 we are very happy with the

risk-based approach and with regulating

the uses of Technology not the

technology itself we are far far behind

in Europe on AI uh we have around 8% of

our companies that uses and have adopted

AI if you look at us they're around 50%

and if you look at China it's around 70%

in fact I think it's going to make it

much harder uh we have a zunami of

Regulation coming our way and when that

hits the smaller companies it's G they

are going to struggle to

implement Cecilia bonial there um from

digital Europe that also May represents

45,000 digital smmes she's worried about

that tsunami of legislation well that's

not just the AI act right there's been

so much legislation DSA dma data act

data governance act that can go on for

on our way in Cas our viewers Brussels

my love but that said um my opinion is

that the EU should have closed the AI

act before and that it has experienced

this year sort of a fomo a fear of

missing out why because as AI continues

to evolve you have the temptation to

reopen the dosier and write an

additional piece and so on so I think

it's been a bit complicated that's one

thing the second thing is uh the

commission had promised to develop both

an ecosystem of Trust on a

uh which is largely the legislation and

the standards that come with it but also

an next system of Excellence which comes

with investment and so on and then we

look at it at the moment the ecosystem

of Excellence is simply not there

looking for example at Venture Capital

uh at the moment in recent calculations

we published a paper ATS on this uh 61%

of venture capital in the world goes to

the US 177% goes to China 6% goes to the

EU uh and despite the fact that we at

the moment form and prepare uh even more

leading AI scientists than the US and so

there is at least something to start

from meaning we have the talent but the

talent goes elsewhere but it's unlikely

it become the global Playbook I mean we

see the UK have their own executive

order on AI we saw the UK as well before

Christmas had their big Summit on AI I

mean the race to regulate is on there's

a trivial proceed question in the EU

bubble is who killed the European

Amazons the European Facebook the and

and and there's a lot of theories about

it definitely the fact that it's easier

to go to a market with uh with with

single rules for 400 million whereas

there are still some fragmented elements

there I think it's a combination of

everything but indeed not we have some

good example there's there Spotify

there's Skype even though B over but but

it's still should be one priority to to

Really analyze and see what do we do

wrong final Point well it needs to be

easier to fail in Europe as well you

know I mean I'm not I'm not a big fan of

Serial failing companies that just keep

resurrecting themselves with CEOs who

then end up in jail which is what you

get in the US but I do think it needs to

be easier for people to take risks here

in business terms and I don't know if

that's necessarily an EU thing or if

it's a national thing but it seems there

also a cultural thing this sense of

shame but we'll get back to that topic

another time because I'm afraid we're

out of time unfortunately because that

is a fascinating H discussion that we

will as I promise get back to but thank

you so much to our panel for being with

us and thank you so much for watching

stay with us here on EUR news and for

more news on anything you've heard today

check out yours.com

[Music]

welcome back to Brussels my love I'm ma

McMahan and along with our panel dri

deeton Andrea Renda and Laura Shields

we're taking a look ahead to this year

to 2024 so let's get to know our

panelists a little bit more and ask them

what your personal plans are for this

year and of course your wishes for

Europe Andrea well I just took over as

director of seps director of research at

seps is the oldest and largest T tank in

town I have a very ambitious plan to uh

make it even more Innovative more

influential and impactful uh without a

you know predefined agenda but really to

go for evidence-based high quality

policy advice and involving as many

stakeholders as possible so that's my my

personal workaholic here around the

table what about you dedri well you're

going to think it's about about work too

but you know I'll be on a stage in

Eurovision uh uh and that is because it

will be the Eurovision debate between

the lead candidat for presidency of the

commission but if I want to for my kids

they definitely would like me to get

some tickets for the Eurovision music

contest in Malmo instead so that could

be one objective to wonderful and we

cover that here on your news it's a

great event Laura I'm going to promise

to finish no I'm going to finish the

book that I've been writing for two and

a half years that has been hanging

around my net like an Alber TR and I'm

going to finally get it done and I

saying that on TV wonderful you've said

it here first we will keep an eye on

that well of course we wanted to find

out as well what people across the

streets of Europe um are feeling and

hoping that this year will bring so we

sent your news reporters to the streets

of Rome Athens and

Budapest I want to see people smile more

come on everyone should be smiling more

often and people should be more happy in

general we were born to be happy my baby

will be born in February it would be

nice if he could arrive in a more

peaceful

world better salaries and more jobs for

young people I don't have any

expectations for 2024 things will get

worse we are working for hours a day we

work ourselves to death to get zero in

the

end I hope that things will get better

for everyone labor and socially mostly I

think this year is going to be a tough

transitioning Year many things are

changing I want to start my business I

want to buy an apartment but I'm a long

way from that with a positive mindset

everything will be

okay and a big thanks to our teams in

Greece Italy and Hungary for Gathering

all all those uh views I mean there's a

bit of a threat of discontentment there

no it's funny because people want

optimism but you feel that there's also

fear and there's also and it's a reality

I think we feel it all it's there's so

many conflicts around the world right

now that affect us directly and and I

think it is now fair and it's not a Miss

Universe comments to say that we want

peace because I think we really do want

peace uh but and and and I am in a way

proud of some of of of people of my

political family what they to try to

achieve peace in in some elements but

this is something where I think it is

fair to want world peace now and and to

to contribute to it better jobs better

pay health was an issue as well that

came up a lot and we didn't have time to

play all the clips absolutely but uh

wellbeing in particular will have to be

at the center and the Forefront even of

you policy going forward it is currently

not really at the Forefront so my wish

for Europe this year is to rebuild and

and find again its identity meaning a a

development model and a vision for the

future that is really uh focusing on the

well-being of people and more generally

on people planet and prosperity rather

than competitiveness Laura well I would

agree on that point with Andrea actually

and it's it was heartening that the

European commission brought out its

mental health communication um earlier

this year but they need to do a lot more

work on that I have a personal and

family uh history in that area and I

think that on the well-being point a lot

more time spent on how to help people

cope with the challenges of the modern

world would be something that would be

really important less Macho politics

please less Macho politics and on Mental

Health I'm sure every family in Europe

has a personal story on that so that is

an issue that really needs to be

addressed and that we would love to as

well revisit here on Brussels and my

love but for now it is time just to say

a big thank you to dedri deeton Andrea

Renda and Laura shields for being our

guests on this New Year's special thank

you so much to you all and have a great

New Year um and thank you so much for

watching as always if you have any

comments for us or messages or stories

that you want us to explore please reach

out our email address is Brussels my

love euronews.com you can also find us

on Instagram and Linkedin as you know we

love hearing from you take care and see

you soon here on Euro

[Music]

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