Seoul, South Korea – The South Korean National Assembly has passed a long-awaited AI Basic Law, raising concerns among civil society groups who argue that the legislation was rushed through without sufficient consideration of the risks associated with artificial intelligence.
The Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee approved the bill on November 26th, which aims to foster the development of the AI industry while ensuring safety. The bill includes provisions such as requiring watermarks on AI-generated content to combat deepfakes and establishing guidelines for high-impact AI.
While the bill has been praised for providing a legal framework for the AI industry, critics argue that the legislative process was too hasty and failed to adequately address potential risks. Civil society groups, including Participatory Democracy, held a press conference in front of the National Assembly, criticizing the lack of effective regulations for high-impact AI.
The law mandates that AI service providers must provide technical means and guidance for users to add watermarks to AI-generated content such as images and videos. Additionally, the bill classifies AI technologies that pose risks to human life or safety as high-impact AI and empowers the government to impose requirements on related businesses to ensure reliability and safety.
Despite these measures, critics argue that the bill does not go far enough to address the potential harms of AI, such as job displacement, algorithmic bias, and the misuse of AI for malicious purposes. They have called for more robust regulations to protect individuals and society from the negative consequences of AI development.
In response to these concerns, Rep. Choi Min-hee, chairwoman of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, stated that she would listen to the voices of civil society and conduct further analysis of the law's impact on society and industry. She also pledged to prepare follow-up legislation to address any shortcomings.
Meanwhile, the committee also passed a bill to repeal the Mobile Device Distribution Act, which regulates the distribution of mobile devices. The new law aims to promote competition among device sellers by eliminating restrictions on subsidies and allowing for more flexible pricing.
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