Even though Artificial Intelligence (AI) has existed since the 1950s, the rapid developments in the past years have turned it into one of the most promising sectors within ICT. There has been an enormous growth in investments and use of AI systems in many sectors such as automobile, health and aeronautics, creating new challenges for both industry and society. To ensure the development of trustworthy AI systems that respect fundamental values and human rights recognized in Europe, standardization is needed.
CEN and CENELEC have established the new CEN-CENELEC Joint Technical Committee 21 ‘Artificial Intelligence’, based on the recommendations presented in the CEN-CENELEC response to the EC White Paper on AI, the CEN-CENELEC Focus Group Road Map on Artificial Intelligence, and the German Standardization Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence. The Joint Technical Committee, whose Secretariat is held by DS, the Danish Standardization Body, is responsible for the development and adoption of standards for AI and related data, as well as provide guidance to other Technical Committees concerned with AI.
In particular, CEN-CLC/JTC 21 identifies and adopts international standards already available or under development from other organizations like ISO/IEC JTC 1 and its subcommittees, such as SC 42 Artificial Intelligence. Furthermore, CEN-CLC/JTC 21 focuses on producing standardization deliverables that address European market and societal needs, as well as underpinning EU legislation, policies, principles, and values.
CEN and CENELEC have accepted a standardization request on Artificial Intelligence from the European Commission. In this context, CEN-CLC/JTC 21 is currently developing European standards which, in the future, would be able to provide manufacturers the presumption of conformity with the upcoming Artificial Intelligence Act. For an overview of the work programme to see the status of the standards being developed, see the CEN-CLC/JTC 21 technical work page.
JTC 21/WG 1 created a Task Group dedicated to Inclusiveness, in charge of raising awareness about JTC 21 activities to bring new stakeholders to the discussions.
The Task Group publishes a newsletter available to all interested parties, with the help of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
Feel free to join the LinkedIn Group on European Standards & Artificial Intelligence, and register to the mailing list by emailing TG_Inclusiveness@etuc.org.
All previous editions can also be found here.
Nooshin AMIRIFAR
namirifar@cencenelec.eu
