FTC and EU link up for new tech policies

The US government is joining forces with their European (not you, Britain) counterparts.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said that it was meeting with EU representatives to discuss ideas on how to better legislate and manage things such as artificial intelligence and data collection.

While no formal legislation was introduced, the aim of the meeting was to get both government bodies on the same page when it comes to tech policies.

“As businesses move at breakneck speed to build and monetize AI and algorithmic decision-making tools, engaging with our international partners and sharing best practices will be especially critical," said FTC Chair Lina Khan.

"The Joint Technology Dialogue provides US agencies and the European Commission a key opportunity to discuss emerging threats in a rapidly evolving digital economy."

Competition and antitrust laws were also a point of consideration between the two sides. Both the EU and FTC noted that they are focused on how to handle mergers between tech companies and within the digital sector.

"The fast-moving technology sector raises global challenges such as regarding artificial intelligence and cloud computing more broadly," offered European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager.

"It is essential to anticipate and address such challenges through close cooperation, leveraging our respective experiences for the benefit of consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic."

Managing artificial intelligence and its potential applications has been a top priority amongst US government agencies under the Biden administration. Last year, the President issued an executive order on AI and instructed agencies to develop their own AI ethics policies.

Earlier this month a handful of US federal agencies threw their names behind a campaign to police AI use and make sure AI-enhanced applications are not acting in violation of civil rights laws.