The European Commission has unveiled the inaugural list of over 100 signatories to the AI Pact, an initiative aimed at encouraging companies to make “voluntary pledges” regarding their approach to deploying artificial intelligence (AI).
While the EU's legally binding AI rulebook, known as the AI Act, officially took effect last month, full compliance will unfold over the coming years. This gap presents a non-compliance challenge that the EU seeks to address through the AI Pact.
The AI Pact is designed to enhance corporate engagement and drive proactive commitments. By encouraging businesses to prepare for the law’s requirements ahead of the deadlines, the initiative aims to cultivate a collaborative environment where signatories can share information and develop best practices in response to the evolving AI landscape.
To that end, the Pact outlines three mandatory “core actions” for signatories, which include:
1. Establishing an AI governance strategy to facilitate AI integration within the organization and ensure future compliance with the AI Act.
2. Identifying and mapping AI systems that may be classified as high-risk under the AI Act.
3. Promoting AI awareness and education among employees to ensure ethical and responsible AI development.
Additionally, the Commission has provided a comprehensive list of potential pledges (available in PDF format), developed by the AI Office, the entity overseeing the AI Act, after consultation with “relevant stakeholders” in the AI Pact network. This allows signatories to customize their commitments based on what suits them best.
Some specific examples of these pledges include commitments to “design AI systems meant for direct interaction with users, ensuring they are informed when engaging with AI,” and “clearly labeling AI-generated content, including deep fakes in image, audio, or video formats.” This variety may foster a 'pro-compliance' competition among signatories, encouraging them to elevate their commitments to AI safety.
Accelerating AI Act Compliance
The AI Pact initiative was introduced in May 2023 by former internal market commissioner Thierry Breton, with Google agreeing to assist regulators in its development. Over a year later, the EU has secured numerous additional signatures, although some notable companies, like Apple and Meta, are conspicuously absent. Meta informed Reuters that it would focus exclusively on the AI Act’s compliance, rather than joining the Pact at this time.
Violations of the EU’s AI Act can result in hefty penalties, potentially reaching 7% of a company’s global annual revenue for prohibited uses of AI, 3% for non-compliance with other obligations, and up to 1.5% for submitting false information to regulators. This financial risk might explain Meta’s reluctance to join, as failing to uphold any pledges could lead to severe reputational and fiscal fallout.
Notably, French large language model company Mistral—one of the AI Act’s critical observers—has also opted out of making any voluntary pledges. Alongside this, German firm Aleph Alpha has signed the Pact but is pivoting its focus to B2B services for generative AI tools, which may indicate a shift in its policy priorities.
The growing list of signatories includes prominent companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, OpenAI, Palantir, Samsung, SAP, Salesforce, Snap, Airbus, Porsche, Lenovo, and Qualcomm. However, the absence of key players like Anthropic, Nvidia, and Spotify raises questions, particularly as Spotify recently joined a Meta-organized letter opposing restrictive regulations on generative AI.
You can view the comprehensive list of early signatories to the EU's AI Pact here. The signatories represent a diverse group including leading European telecommunications firms, consulting companies, software developers, banking/payment organizations, multinational corporations, SMEs, and consumer platforms. This initial list of over 100 names signifies only the beginning of a much larger trend as generative AI technologies continue to proliferate rapidly.
While these pledges are voluntary, signing the AI Pact can enhance a company's reputation within the industry. Signatories also have the option to report their progress one year after their pledges, further amplifying their visibility in the ongoing dialogue surrounding responsible AI implementation.
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