Is sheer panic & confusion driving the push to regulate artificial intelligence? Ian McDougall highlights the folly of legislating for something that doesn’t exist
- Despite the rush to push through legislation specifically designed to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), the bulk of issues raised pre-date the development of AI, and are therefore already covered by existing legislation.
Firstly, I acknowledge that this article has come too late to influence the topic. The horse has bolted, the train has left the station, and the diva is already singing. Nonetheless, I still feel I should put these thoughts on the record. Sometimes being a lone voice is lonely, but I am patient. The points I am about to raise are as inevitable as they are frustrating.
So, with that lengthy and cryptic introduction, I shall give you the conclusion first, and then explain why. The conclusion: I am not convinced that there is a need for any artificial intelligence (AI)-specific regulation. It causes more confusion than any problem it seeks to solve. Existing law already covers the area, and
