AI Regulation: What the EU, US & India Are Planning

AI Regulation: What the EU, US & India Are Planning

As generative AI reshapes industries, governments worldwide are racing to regulate its risks—albeit with markedly different approaches.

European Union: Structured, Risk-Based Oversight

The EU is leading the charge with its Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), a comprehensive legal framework that came into force on August 1, 2024 Wikipedia. The rollout is phased:

• February 2, 2025: The ban on AI applications deemed "unacceptable risk" (like predictive policing, social scoring, and real-time biometric IDs) is now in effect EU digital lawReddit.
• August 2025–2027: Further obligations—covering transparency, labeling of general-purpose AI (GPAI), and high-risk system assessments—will gradually apply digital-strategy.ec.europa.euxenoss.ioglobalpolicywatch.com.

A voluntary Code of Practice for GPAI model providers has also been released to guide companies in compliance—but some firms, like Elon Musk’s xAI and Meta, have only partially signed or outright rejected the code AP NewsReutersIndiatimesThe Wall Street Journal.

United States: Deregulation Meets Innovation Push

In contrast, the U.S. is embracing a deregulatory approach under its new AI Action Plan—ushering in "permissionless innovation" and positioning AI as critical national infrastructure IT Pro. Former President Trump has also signed executive orders, including Executive Order 14179 (Jan 2025), to revoke prior safeguards and promote accelerated AI development absent ideological constraints WikipediaThe Guardian.

On the legislative front, the CREATE AI Act of 2025 proposes a federally-funded research infrastructure (NAIRR) to democratize AI access, while Texas is nearing final passage of its TRAIGA 2.0 bill—requiring transparency, fairness, and algorithm impact assessments at the state level regulatoryreformtaskforce.com.

India: Light Touch with Strategic Foundations

India currently lacks overarching AI laws, but it has launched multiple non-binding frameworks via NITI Aayog and MeitY. These include the 2018 National Strategy for AI, 2021’s Principles for Responsible AI, and operational guidelines that emphasize ethics, transparency, and unbiased design WikipediaInformation Age.

A 2025 Subcommittee Report on AI Governance proposes a balanced regulatory path—ensuring innovation isn't stifled, while maintaining ethical guardrails igap.in. Additionally, India is pushing for inclusivity through its IndiaAI Mission and partnership with OpenAI, aiming to strengthen AI capabilities and equitable access The Economic Times.

Conclusion:
The regulatory landscape for AI is as varied as the technologies themselves. The EU emphasizes safety and accountability, the U.S. champions innovation with minimal oversight, and India treads a middle path—fostering innovation with emerging ethical frameworks.

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