Italy has become the first country in the European Union to pass a national law regulating the use of artificial intelligence. The measure, which took more than a year to draft, toughens penalties for harmful uses of AI — including deepfakes, data theft and fraud. Offenders could face up to five years in prison.
The law requires parental consent for children under 14 to access AI and sets strict rules for the use of these technologies in medicine, education, law and sport. Only works with human input will be eligible for copyright protection.
Compliance will be overseen by two state bodies: the Digital Agency of Italy and the Cybersecurity Agency. The government also intends to invest up to €1 billion in AI and digital infrastructure.
Italy is pursuing its own path to AI regulation, focused on protecting citizens’ rights and the responsible development of technology. The legislation is a reminder that innovation does not replace people, but serves them.
