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Major update on the EU AI Act! The co-chairs of the European Parliament’s AI Act Working Group, Brando Benifei (S&D, IT) and Michael McNamara MEP (Renew, IE), issued a joint statement today (July 16, 2025) on the new General-Purpose AI (GPAI) Code of Practice. Key takeaways from their statement: Code welcomed - described as a “pragmatic and timely foundation” for managing systemic risks and building public trust Balance achieved - despite intense lobbying pressure, the code maintains core protections while balancing industry needs with civil society concerns Transparency & accountability - emphasis on risk monitoring and fundamental rights protection Call to action - all GPAI providers urged to sign and fully implement the code Enforcement is key - stressed the importance of robust oversight by the AI Office to prevent it from becoming a “paper tiger” Important timeline: ...

TODAY (July 14, 2025), the European Commission officially published its comprehensive Guidelines on the Protection of Minors under Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This landmark 64-page framework will reshape how platforms protect children across Europe. Core Framework - The “5Cs” Risk Assessment: The guidelines mandate that platforms assess risks across five categories: Content, Conduct, Contact, Consumer, and Cross-cutting risks, encompassing exposure to harmful content, AI chatbot vulnerabilities, and excessive spending patterns. ...

🚨 NEW EDPB-EDPS Joint Opinion on SME Record-Keeping Simplification On 9 July 2025, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) released their Joint Opinion 01/2025 on the proposed regulation to simplify record-keeping obligations for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small mid-cap companies (SMCs). 🎯 Key Highlights: Extended threshold: The proposal would raise the employee threshold from 250 to 750 employees for record-keeping exemptions under Art. 30(5) GDPR Broader scope: SMCs (small mid-cap companies) would also benefit from simplified obligations Risk-based approach maintained: High-risk processing activities would still require full compliance regardless of company size Administrative burden reduction: Aims to provide greater flexibility for smaller organizations while maintaining data protection standards 💡 EDPB-EDPS Position: The authorities express preliminary support for this targeted simplification initiative, welcoming the risk-based approach that ensures fundamental rights protection remains intact. However, they’ve requested further clarification on the new 750-employee threshold and recommend better alignment with the newly introduced SME/SMC definitions. ...

The European Commission Launches Public Consultations on the Future of EU Data Legislation Brussels, 9 July 2025 – The European Commission announced today that it has officially launched a set of public consultations aimed at evaluating and shaping the next phase of the European Union’s data legislative framework. The initiative focuses on three cornerstone instruments of the EU data strategy: Regulation on the Free Flow of Non-Personal Data Open Data Directive (ODD) Data Governance Act (DGA) These legislative acts have been fundamental in enabling data-driven innovation, enhancing the reuse of public sector information, and promoting trust and interoperability in data sharing across Member States. However, as the digital ecosystem evolves rapidly, the Commission is now seeking updated, evidence-based input from stakeholders to assess how these instruments are functioning and where improvements or recalibrations may be needed. ...

EU Commission Rejects «Stop the Clock» open letter appeal: AI Act Proceeds as Planned. Breaking from Friday, July 4: The clock is ticking, but it won’t stop. Over 50 European business leaders, including CEOs from Airbus, ASML, Mistral AI, Mercedes-Benz, and Siemens Energy, have signed a powerful “Stop the Clock - Open Letter” urging the European Commission to pause the next implementation phase of the EU AI Act, scheduled for August 2, 2025. ...

From June 30 to July 5, the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks 2025 (#IJCNN2025) was held in Rome at the splendid Pontifical Gregorian University, and I had the honor of participating. The conference officially opened on June 30 with tutorials and continued the following day with an inspiring ceremony at the prestigious Teatro Quirino. Danilo Comminiello, General Chair, kicked off the conference by laying the groundwork for what proved to be an exceptional gathering of minds in the field of neural networks and artificial intelligence research. ...

My interview as a podcast in Italian with Valentino Spataro in the program “Caffè 2.0, Tecnologia e Legal” (Coffee 2.0, Technology and Legal) is now online at caffe20.it. A conversation lasting over an hour dedicated to my new book “Artificial Intelligence, Privacy, and Neural Networks: The Balance between Innovation, knowledge, and Ethics in the Digital Age”, published in Italian (June 3) and English (June 11, 2025). A book born from practice During the interview, I had the opportunity to explain how this book was born from my experience in the field: from my role as President of the Data Protection Authority of the Republic of San Marino to my participation in some working groups of the CEN/CENELEC JTC21 for standardization and IEEE to my essential membership in the International Neural Network Society (INNS). ...

AI Revolution in Europe: New AI-on-Demand Portal Launched The European Commission presents the new AIoDP platform, a comprehensive marketplace for "made in Europe" AI that democratizes access to artificial intelligence technologies. Sources: Press Release of June 24, 2025 “Commission launches AI tools on online platform for researchers and industry”, European Commission - AI-on-Demand Portal, AI Continent Action Plan of April 9, 2025 (COM(2025)165). On June 24, 2025, the European Commission announced the launch of new AI tools on the AI-on-Demand platform (AIoDP), marking a decisive turning point in the European artificial intelligence strategy. As officially communicated by the Commission, this platform evolution includes an AI marketplace, minimal coding development tools, and secure solutions for generative AI. It represents the operational core of the ambitious AI Continent Plan and promises to radically transform access to AI technologies for researchers, SMEs, and the public sector. ...

From the Council of the European Union website, we report that at the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit held in Kananaskis, the G7 leaders adopted, among other declarations, the statement entitled “G7 LEADERS’ STATEMENT ON AI FOR PROSPERITY”. If this resource was helpful, you could contribute by Buy me a coffee Or donate via Liberapay Follow us on Mastodon Stay tuned!

🚨 BREAKING: EU COMMISSION LAUNCHES HIGH-RISK AI SYSTEMS CONSULTATION TODAY Just announced: The European Commission has officially launched a critical six-week public consultation on implementing the AI Act’s rules for high-risk AI systems. ‼️ The deadline is July 18, 2025. This consultation will directly shape the Commission’s upcoming guidelines on classifying high-risk AI systems and their requirements, making it your opportunity to influence the global AI governance framework. ❇️ What’s Being Decided: The AI Act defines two categories of high-risk AI systems: 🔧 Product Safety Systems: AI critical for product safety under EU harmonised legislation ⚖️ Fundamental Rights Systems: AI that significantly affects health, safety, or fundamental rights in specific use cases ...