Ursula von der Leyen aims to establish “AI IPCC”

In her EU state of the union address on September 13, 2023, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for the creation of a body similar to the IPCC for AI. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a synthesis of scientific knowledge on climate change, under the aegis of the UN.

Ursula von der Leyen considers the same kind of expertise is necessary today to assess the risks and benefits of AI for mankind. According to her, such a body should bring together “scientists, tech companies and independent experts.” Its mission would be to ensure that “AI grows in a human-centered, transparent and responsible manner.”

At the European level, the president of the Commission welcomes the progress made by the AI Act, which is currently being finalized. Yet she pleads for a change in scale with “swift and coordinated action on a global level.” She thus supports the G7’s decision in May 2023 to put together a working group on “responsible use” of AI.

“AI is evolving more rapidly than its designers themselves predicted. Therefore we do not have much time to guide this technology responsibly,” warns Ursula von der Leyen.