Legal Regulation for Artificial Intelligence in the European Union – Major Aspects for Minors

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to answer in what ways EU regulation and national strategies protect individuals under the age of majority from the misuse of artificial intelligence. This is done by examining the Commission's current proposal for the Artificial Intelligence Act, and by analyzing the national AI strategies in twelve Member States. Additionally, AI experts are interviewed about children’s rights in the EU and its Member States. This mixed-method approach is based on the need to consider legal, technical, and economic aspects of artificial intelligence and identify the ways in which EU regulation and national strategies protect children. The findings of this study show that in the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act, there are four major ways in which the proposal protects children. These include protecting children’s rights in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 24), protecting children from high-risk AI systems, protecting children from AI systems that can distort human behaviour, and using AI systems to help victims of crime. Additionally, the analysis of national strategies shows four distinct aspects that contribute to children’s rights, which are enabling children to obtain strong AI competencies, cultivating children as a future workforce, improving the quality of life and services for children, and protecting children’s data and privacy. The expert interviews highlight that both the proposed regulation and national strategies would benefit from more holistic approaches and increased coordination between the Member States.