AI Regulation in the European Union: Examining Non-State Actor Preferences

TL;DR

This paper analyzes non-state actor preferences regarding the EU AI Act, revealing differences in regulation support among actor types and the influence of national AI sector strength, informing policymakers on balancing diverse interests.

Contribution

It provides the first systematic analysis of non-state actor preferences for AI regulation in the EU, combining theoretical development and empirical testing using consultation data.

Findings

All non-state actors support AI regulation to some extent.

Business actors favor lax regulation more than others.

Preferences vary more in countries with stronger AI sectors.

Abstract

As the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow, policymakers are increasingly grappling with the question of how to regulate this technology. The most far-reaching international initiative is the European Union (EU) AI Act, which aims to establish the first comprehensive, binding framework for regulating AI. In this article, we offer the first systematic analysis of non-state actor preferences toward international regulation of AI, focusing on the case of the EU AI Act. Theoretically, we develop an argument about the regulatory preferences of business actors and other non-state actors under varying conditions of AI sector competitiveness. Empirically, we test these expectations using data from public consultations on European AI regulation. Our findings are threefold. First, all types of non-state actors express concerns about AI and support regulation in some form. Second, there are nonetheless significant differences across actor types, with business actors being less concerned about the downsides of AI and more in favor of lax regulation than other non-state actors. Third, these differences are more pronounced in countries with stronger commercial AI sectors. Our findings shed new light on non-state actor preferences toward AI regulation and point to challenges for policymakers balancing competing interests in society.