AI Office: Why the unfilled management p • Table.Briefings

On 5 March 2020, Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, participated at the official launch of EU Policymaking Hub initiative by ensuring the opening speech, followed by a panel discussion with high-ranking officials of the European Commission: Pascal Leardini, Deputy Secretary-General and Chief Operating Officer, Olivier Guersent, Director-General of DG Competition, Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director-General of DG "Communication", Henrik Hololei, Director-General of DG Mobility and Transport, and Roberto Viola, Director-General of DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology. Tanya Verrier, Director of the Directorate Transparency, Efficiency & Resources, was the moderator of the panel. — Refuses to be drawn into the selection process for the head of the AI Office: Roberto Viola, Head of the Directorate-General for Communication Networks, Content and Technologies. (The photo shows him at the official launch of the EU Policymaking Hub Initiative in 2020).

The AI Office has an important role to play in the regulation of artificial intelligence in the EU. However, the selection process for the leading position is not going as EU Parliamentarians would like.

When the member states in the Telecoms Council adopt the final version of the AI Act on May 21, many questions will still remain unanswered. One of them: Who will head the newly created AI Office in the future? Filling this leadership position is no trivial matter. After all, the AI Office is not only intended to be the center of AI expertise in the EU. It will also play a key role in the implementation of the law, especially when it comes to general-purpose AI (GPAI). It will also develop guidelines, provide clarity on the implementation of the AI Act, ensure harmonized application within the EU and promote international cooperation.

AI Office: Why the unfilled management position is a problem

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