05/09/2024 President
PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos has welcomed the opening for signature of the new Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, which he hailed as “a major step forward” and a springboard for ongoing discussion about the ramifications of AI in all our lives.
“We must be ready to use this powerful and exciting technology for the good of society, in full awareness of the possible risks, and maintaining always human control over what humans have created,” the President said, recalling that AI had been one of the priority areas for his Presidency.
The framework convention is the first ever international treaty on AI, open to all states worldwide, on which ratifying states agree to base their national laws.
It was opened for signature today on the margins of a meeting of Council of Europe Justice Ministers in Vilnius, and has so far been signed by Andorra, Georgia, Iceland, Norway, the Republic of Moldova, San Marino and the United Kingdom as well as Israel, the United States of America and the European Union.
In an opinion adopted unanimously in April, the Assembly warmly welcomed the drafting of the convention and urged its entry into force as soon as possible – while regretting that it “does not cover to an equal extent public and private actors”.
The President pointed out that negotiations for the convention brought together not only Council of Europe member states, but other countries from around the world, including the US and Canada. “AI knows no borders. The challenges we face today are global in their scope and impact, and it is right that the principles and values which guide the Council of Europe should be shared with other regions of the world.”