site.btaAI Must Serve Society, Says EU Commissioner Zaharieva

Artificial Intelligence (AI) must serve society, said EU Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva, Thursday at a forum dedicated to the topic, organized in the European Parliament in Brussels by MEP Emil Radev (GERB/EPP).

Lately, the debate around AI has taken centre-stage, with two extreme opinions emerging — one advocating for the unrestricted adoption of AI, and the other expressing concerns about its consequences, the Commissioner noted. “The challenge is to have balanced legislation,” Zaharieva pointed out.

According to her, AI depends on quality data but also on human judgment. AI helps achieve scientific discoveries, and we must help it realize its full potential. Europe has what it takes to be a leader in AI, the Commissioner emphasized.

Emil Radev insisted that clear rules and ethical guidelines are necessary to ensure the safe deployment of new technologies. “We must take measures so that AI does not become the new Tower of Babel — a symbol of unchecked ambition with catastrophic consequences,” he urged. Radev also noted that AI is used to create images and “news” that can manipulate public opinion.

History teaches us that technological development has no stop button. Digital transformation is a necessary process, but if we manage to maintain control rather than chase events, we can achieve progress in many fields, Radev concluded.

The forum also featured Prof. Andriana Andreeva, Governor of the Varna Region and longtime professor at the Varna University of Economics, and Prof. Kalin Kalinov, Flotilla Admiral and Head of the Higher Naval School in Varna.