site.btaContinue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria Preparing Bill on AI Use

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Deputy Floor Leader Bozhidar Bozhanov said on Tuesday that the parliamentary group is preparing a bill on the use and development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The statement was made during a discussion on “Artificial Intelligence: Trends, Regulations and Scenarios for Growth”, organized and hosted by the Bulgarian Industrial Association. Bozhanov added that the text of the bill has been discussed with experts.

Bozhanov underscored that this type of legislation does not intend to fragment. According to him, the provisions in the bill have been made in accordance with the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act.

According to him, it is necessary to create an institutional framework and coordination mechanisms, and to regulate the obligations under the Act, which "will be more effectively regulated at the legislative level rather than through fragmented decisions by the Council of Ministers."

The MP emphasized the need for a clear approach and set of rules for the implementation of artificial intelligence, as well as for the development and training of public and private sector employees, and for the training of AI models using administrative documentation.

Bozhanov explained that the goal is to attract more research to Bulgaria and added that the country must not fall behind others in this area. He defined AI not as a revolution, but as a rapid evolution, and said that if action is not taken quickly, the country risks losing a lot.

He announced that his parliamentary group is relying on support from state institutions, emphasizing that this topic should not be polarized given that the bill will be submitted by an opposition party in Parliament.

Tuesday's debate, the first of its kind organized by an employers' organization, was attended by representatives from the Ministries of Education and Science, of Electronic Governance, of Economy and Industry, and of Environment and Water, as well as members of Parliament, the Economic and Social Council, the Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency, the Bulgarian Industrial Association and the non-governmental sector.