During the month of June, Europeans have had time to think and reflect on the current situation on the continent before making a key decision that would lead to an expression at the ballot box. While the echoes of the elections are still reverberating across the continent, Europeans have given their confidence to the European People's Party to form a government, which in turn has decided to form a new triple alliance with the Social Democrats and the Liberals for the next five years.

The political programmes leave traces of the vision of AI in Brussels and Strasbourg, as well as several clues as to where the continent is heading from a regulatory point of view. That's why Neosmart Insights has come up with a prompt for Chat GPT:

Has AI been at the heart of the European policy debate?

The answer is yes.

Here are the points related to artificial intelligence (AI) within the specific election manifestos of some of the main European political parties for the 2024 elections:

Spain

Popular Party (PP)

- Energy Transition and Economic Opportunities: In its programme, the PP mentions that the energy transition and the emergence of AI present great industrial and economic opportunities, but also democratic and social challenges.

- Competitiveness and Security: They promote investment in advanced digital infrastructures and policies to ensure the safe and competitive development of AI in Europe.

PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party)

- Ethical Regulation and Protection of Rights: The PSOE's programme highlights the need to develop European regulation for AI that ensures ethical and responsible use, protecting the fundamental rights and privacy of citizens.

- Education and Digital Transformation: They propose the integration of AI in the field of education and emphasise that the European Union must lead the digital transformation of society.

- Social and Labour Rights: Include measures to ensure that AI is used to reinforce social and labour rights, ensuring benefits for all sectors of society.

Sumar

European Robotisation Contingency Fund: proposes the creation of a dedicated fund to address the challenges that robotisation and AI present for employment and the economy. This fund would be aimed at supporting workers affected by automation and the introduction of AI technologies by providing training and job relocation.

European Green New Deal: In the framework of the European Green Deal, Sumar includes the development of AI to drive the energy transition and decarbonisation of the economy, ensuring that these technologies are used in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

Democracy at work and ethical regulation: Sumar also calls for a European directive on democracy at work to promote worker participation in business decision-making. Here, AI is mentioned in terms of the need to regulate its implementation in the workplace to protect labour rights. It also calls for transparency in the use of these technologies and protection against any form of automated discrimination.

Podemos

- Transparency and Public Control: They advocate the creation of public control mechanisms over the development and use of AI to guarantee transparency and prevent abuses.

- Technological Sovereignty: They propose policies to ensure that Europe has greater technological autonomy in AI, promoting the development of its own technologies and reducing dependence on external actors.

Vox

- National Security and Sovereignty: Vox stresses the need for AI development not to compromise national security and sovereignty of member states.

- Migration Control: They propose the use of AI technologies to improve border control and immigration management.

France

La République En Marche (LREM)

Development and Ethical Regulation: Emmanuel Macron's party advocates for strict regulation of AI that ensures respect for human rights and privacy. It also promotes the development of AI to boost Europe's competitiveness in the technology sector.

Rassemblement National (RN)

Technological Sovereignty and Security: Marine Le Pen and her party emphasise the need to ensure the technological sovereignty of France and Europe. They propose using AI to improve national security and border control.

Socialist Party (PS)

Responsible Innovation and Labour Rights: The PS in France focuses on responsible innovation and the ethical use of AI. They include proposals to ensure that AI does not compromise labour rights and promote its use in improving public services.

Les Républicains (LR)

Competitiveness and Data Protection: They propose policies to foster the competitiveness of European businesses in the field of AI, along with strict data protection measures to ensure citizens' privacy.

The Greens (Europe Écologie Les Verts - EELV)

Sustainability and Transparency: The Greens promote the development of AI in a sustainable and transparent way, ensuring that its implementation respects the environment and human rights.

La France Insoumise (LFI)

Public Control and Social Justice: Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his party advocate for strict public control over the development of AI to ensure that it is used in a fair and equitable way, benefiting all sectors of society.

Germany

CDU/CSU (Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union)

Balance and Regulation: The CDU/CSU programme advocates the use of AI to strengthen the European economy while ensuring that regulations protect citizens' rights. They also stress the importance of balancing technological innovation with social and economic protection.

SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany)

Innovation and Labour Rights: The SPD focuses on the ethical integration of AI into the European labour market, ensuring that emerging technologies do not compromise labour and social rights. In addition, they promote investment in sustainable technologies and lifelong learning for workers.

The Greens (Alliance 90/The Greens)

Sustainability and Transparency: The Greens promote the development of AI with a focus on environmental sustainability and transparency. They propose strict regulations to ensure that AI technologies are developed in an ethical and environmentally friendly manner.

FDP (Free Democratic Party)

Technological Openness and Competitiveness: The FDP advocates less stringent and more technology-oriented regulation, promoting the competitiveness of European companies in the AI sector. They oppose regulations that they consider excessively restrictive for innovation and technological development.

AfD (Alternative for Germany)

Rejection of Strict Regulations: The AfD rejects strict regulations on AI and proposes a more lax policy on climate protection, arguing that climate change is natural and does not require specific technological interventions. Furthermore, they seek to reduce climate protection measures in general.

Die Linke (The Left)

Redistribution and Public Control: Die Linke advocates greater public intervention and control over the development of AI, ensuring that its use benefits all sectors of society, especially the most disadvantaged. They propose drastic reforms in social policy to ensure a more equitable distribution of technological benefits.