ABSTRACT
As one of the building blocks of the fourth industrial revolution, artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted much public attention and sparked protracted discussions about its impact on future technological, economic and social developments. This contribution conveys insights into AI’s basic methods and tools, its main achievements, its economic environment and the surrounding ethical and social issues. It discusses the EU Commission’s 2018 assessment of the “EU’s position in a competitive international landscape” and touches upon the 2019 OECD AI principles. Based on the announced and undertaken measures of the EU organs to ensure an appropriate AI legal and ethical framework, such as the “General Data Protection Regulation”, the “Artificial Intelligence Act” and the “Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI” published by the AI High-Level Expert Group, this contribution analyses the overall position of Europe in the global context. It also offers information about the treatment of AI in the area of intellectual property.
