Criminal penalties and child protections
The law introduces penalties for harmful uses of AI. Creating deepfakes or using the technology to commit crimes such as fraud or identity theft can lead to prison sentences of one to five years. Children under 14 will now need parental consent to access AI platforms or services.
Copyright and creative use
AI-assisted works can qualify for copyright protection if they involve proven intellectual effort. The rules also limit text and data mining to content that is either non-copyrighted or part of authorized scientific research.
Oversight and enforcement
The government has appointed the Agency for Digital Italy and the National Cybersecurity Agency to enforce the new law. Oversight will extend to workplaces, where employers must inform staff if AI is being used. In healthcare, doctors remain the decision-makers, with patients entitled to clear information when AI is involved in treatment.
Financial support for local industry
To back the policy, Rome has pledged up to $1.09 billion through a state-supported venture capital fund. The money will support domestic companies developing AI, telecommunications, and cybersecurity technologies. The amount is significant in national terms, but it remains far below the larger investments being made in the United States and China.
EU alignment and national stance
The law complements the EU’s AI Act, which came into force in 2024. That legislation bans certain high-risk applications outright, including social scoring systems and unrestricted biometric surveillance. Italy has previously taken a strict line on AI, temporarily suspending ChatGPT in 2023 for failing to meet EU privacy requirements.
Image: Hongbin / Unsplash
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
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