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Italy Unveils Plan to Combat AI Misuse with Harsher Fines

By  |  April 9, 2024

The Italian government is considering the implementation of stricter penalties for crimes facilitated by AI technologies. This initiative is part of a broader 25-article draft bill aimed at regulating the research, development, and application of AI within the nation.

The draft legislation, which is still open to amendments, outlines Italy’s approach to harnessing AI’s potential while mitigating its risks to fundamental rights and socio-economic stability. The bill emphasizes the deployment of AI in critical sectors such as healthcare and the judiciary and lays the groundwork for a national AI strategy.

According to Reuters, the proposed measures include enhanced penalties for utilizing AI in market manipulation and money laundering activities, recognizing the use of AI for such purposes as an aggravating factor. Additionally, the draft bill proposes fines for copyright infringements facilitated by AI and introduces a jail term of up to three years for individuals who use AI to impersonate others, a provision aimed at curbing the creation and dissemination of harmful deepfakes.

Read more: Generative AI Tools At Center Of New Regulation

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, underlining the importance of AI, announced plans for a 1 billion euro investment fund dedicated to AI projects, with the potential to attract an additional 2 billion euros from private investors. This initiative underscores Italy’s commitment to becoming a leader in AI innovation and regulation, especially as it holds the rotating chair of the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies and gears up for the 2024 presidency.

The draft bill’s progression is eagerly anticipated, with the Italian cabinet expected to approve it preliminarily by the end of April. Following this, the proposal will undergo further scrutiny and revisions in parliament before it is enacted into law.

This legislative effort coincides with the European Union’s move towards establishing the world’s first comprehensive rules on AI.

Source: Reuters