PARIS, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- A commission of experts has recommended tighter regulation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent its potential risks to individuals' cognitive abilities, mental health and the functioning of society, the French presidency announced Tuesday.
Titled "Protecting Without Hindering: Vulnerabilities in the Age of Generative AI," the report highlights the rapid and widespread adoption of generative AI, with 33 million unique users in France at the beginning of the year. Nevertheless, a quarter of French people have expressed concerns about its potential risks. According to the report, excessive use of AI could weaken users' cognitive abilities, foster emotional attachment to these tools and amplify online violence.
In response to these risks, the commission of experts put forward 18 recommendations, including strictly regulating mechanisms of excessive flattery and anthropomorphism from the design stage of generative AI systems, in order to prevent companies from exploiting users' psychological vulnerabilities for commercial purposes.
It also recommends making a prior multidisciplinary risk assessment a prerequisite for bringing consumer generative AI systems to market. The commission further calls for large-scale AI education from an early age to prepare a new generation capable of both making the most of the technology and maintaining critical thinking skills.
The report also warns that generative AI could amplify disinformation and information manipulation, potentially threatening democracy and social cohesion. In this regard, the commission recommends establishing an interministerial protocol for risk detection and response that can be activated rapidly. ■
