The creation of the AI ​​Office was announced and Lucilla Sioli will be in charge

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Lucilla Sioli, currently Director of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Industries at the European Commission and an EU official since 1997, will formally head the AI ​​Office, the EU’s executive body announced today (29 May).

The AI ​​Office, created through the restructuring of the Commission’s existing Artificial Intelligence unit, will consist of five main departments, each headed by a Director who will oversee the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Act. A total of 140 people will be employed, including technology experts, lawyers and policy specialists, of whom approximately 80 will still need to be recruited.

The departments will focus on regulation and compliance, security, excellence and robotics, artificial intelligence for social good, as well as innovation. In addition, there will be two advisors on the scientific approach and international affairs.

Contrary to previous assurances, including: Siola itself that it would take longer to formally approve the internal restructuring, the EU’s executive body agreed to give the green light to the nominations and units, which will take effect on June 16.

Supervision

The Artificial Intelligence Office, an internal Commission department, will oversee the regulation of general-purpose AI systems and act as the central coordinating body for AI policy at EU level, coordinating with other departments of the EU executive, its agencies, companies and the body of the 27 Member States .

The Artificial Intelligence Act – a landmark European law regulating machine learning technology – is scheduled to officially enter into force in June. This means that compliance deadlines for companies are also approaching. In November, the prohibitions on prohibited practices set out in the AI ​​Act will come into force. The rules on general-purpose AI will apply one year after entry into force, in May 2025, and the obligations on high-risk systems will apply in three years.

The AI ​​Council, which will be composed of 27 national regulatory authorities and will support the AI ​​Office in regulatory harmonization, will hold its first meeting in June. Representatives of member states will attend the first meetings, as they have another twelve months to establish a formal regulatory body.

Earlier this month, the Commission launched further recruitment for the Office, launching a call for applications from experts from national administrations, as well as experts in law, policy and technology.