EU ‘in touching distance’ of world’s first laws regulating artificial intelligence

Drago Tudorache, MEP who has spent four years drafting AI legislation, is optimistic final text can be agreed by Wednesday

The EU is within touching distance" of passing the world's first laws on artificial intelligence, giving Brussels the power to shut down services that cause harm to society, says the AI tsar who has spent the last four years developing the legislation.

A forthcoming EU AI Act could introduce rules for everything from homemade chemical weapons made through AI to copyright theft of music, art and literature, with negotiations between MEPs, EU member states and the European Commission over final text coming to a head on Wednesday.