ROME – Italy’s parliament has passed a groundbreaking law regulating artificial intelligence, making it the first country in the European Union to implement a comprehensive national framework aligned with the EU’s landmark AI Act. The legislation, which was approved by the Senate, introduces a wide-ranging set of rules aimed at balancing innovation with the protection of citizens’ rights and public safety.
The law, spearheaded by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, is rooted in what it describes as a “human-centric, transparent, and safe” approach to AI. It establishes core principles that mandate human oversight and traceability of AI decisions, and it applies across various sectors, including healthcare, labor, justice, and education.
Key Provisions and Penalties
A central focus of the new law is the fight against the misuse of AI, particularly concerning manipulated content and fraud. Key provisions include:
- Criminal Penalties: The law introduces new criminal offenses targeting the unlawful dissemination of harmful AI-generated content, such as deepfakes. Individuals found guilty of this can face prison sentences of one to five years if the content causes harm.
- Enhanced Penalties for AI-related Crimes: The legislation also introduces tougher penalties for existing offenses, like identity theft and fraud, when AI tools are used to commit them.
- Child Protection: To safeguard minors, the law mandates parental consent for children under 14 to access AI systems.
- Copyright and Data: The law clarifies that copyright protection applies to works created with AI assistance only if they are the result of genuine human intellectual effort. It also restricts AI-driven text and data mining to non-copyrighted content or scientific research by authorized institutions.
- Workplace Rules: Employers are now legally required to inform workers when AI systems are being deployed in the workplace.
Governance and Economic Support
To enforce the new regulations, the government has designated the Agency for Digital Italy and the National Cybersecurity Agency as the primary national authorities for AI development. Sector-specific regulators, such as the Bank of Italy, will also retain their powers.
The government has also authorized up to €1 billion from a state-backed venture capital fund to provide equity investments in small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies active in the fields of AI, cybersecurity, and related technologies. While the government hails this as a major step to foster domestic innovation, some critics have argued that the funding is insufficient compared to the massive investments being made in AI by other countries.
The passage of this law marks a significant moment for Italy, positioning the nation at the forefront of AI regulation within the European bloc and providing a national framework to complement the broader EU AI Act.
