On Wednesday, Italy's parliament approved a new law covering artificial intelligence (AI), making Italy the first EU country to roll out a full AI law that matches the EU's landmark AI Act.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government drove the legislation, setting human-centric, transparent and safe AI use as core principles—while also carving out space for innovation and cybersecurity.
At the heart of the law are cross-industry rules for healthcare, workplaces, public administration, justice, education and sport. From traceability of AI decisions to mandatory human oversight, Italy aims to keep tech in check without halting progress.
For families and educators, a new clause limits AI-driven services for under-14s to cases with parental consent—adding a layer of protection for younger users.
Rome has appointed the Agency for Digital Italy and the National Cybersecurity Agency as the main AI watchdogs, alongside regulators like the Bank of Italy and Consob.
To curb harmful deepfakes and fraudulent content, the law introduces criminal penalties of up to five years in prison when AI misuse causes damage. It also ramps up consequences for identity theft and fraud fueled by AI tools.
On the creative side, AI-assisted works earn copyright protection if they reflect genuine human effort. Meanwhile, AI-driven text and data mining is greenlit only for public-domain content or research by authorized bodies.
The state is backing the AI sector with up to €1 billion in venture capital for small-to-medium enterprises and larger firms working on AI, cybersecurity, quantum tech and telecoms—though critics say the fund is modest compared to global initiatives.
In healthcare, the law authorizes AI-powered tools for diagnosis and care, but doctors keep the final say, and patients must be informed when algorithms are used. In the workplace, employers are required to notify staff whenever AI is deployed.
This landmark move puts Italy at the forefront of EU efforts to balance AI's risks and rewards—and sets a model for other nations weighing their own digital futures.
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Italy enacts AI law covering privacy, oversight and child access
cgtn.com
