Defining the Future: The AI Act's Potential in equitably Safeguarding Fundamental Rights and Promoting AI Innovation

This course provides an in-depth analysis of the AI Act, the European Union’s first binding legislation on Artificial Intelligence. Through a practical and critical approach, it traces the Act’s legislative journey — from the policy documents that preceded the European Commission’s proposal to the negotiations and final approval in the European Parliament in March 2024. The course examines the key developments and challenges of the regulation, assessing how it seeks to balance the protection of fundamental rights with the promotion of AI innovation. Participants will explore the main elements of the original proposal, the amendments introduced during the legislative process, and the remaining weaknesses regarding scope, enforcement mechanisms, and future-proofing. Finally, the course offers reflections on how to achieve a fair balance between regulation, innovation, and rights protection, equipping participants with the tools to understand, interpret, and apply one of Europe’s most impactful pieces of legislation to date.