The Impact of EU Artificial Intelligence Act on Public Interest for Sports: Challenges and Opportunities of European Sports
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Abstract
The EU Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act) has established a comprehensive framework for prescribing rules to classify artificial intelligence (AI) systems based on risk levels and to prevent unacceptable or inappropriate AI-related risks. The Act applies to the sport industry in the EU. This means the policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders of sports in the EU must comply with all applicable aspects of the Act. However, there are common legal challenges in adapting to the Act, including requiring sports organisations to disclose information based on the associated risk level and to avoid making false or misleading statements about the capabilities of AI. This article discusses and puts forward challenges and opportunities of AI implementation within rules established by clubs and legal entities in European Sports to ensure fair and trustable competition, from advantages to concerns about AI in sports, drawing on lessons from the EU. The EU AI Act’s public interest concerns encompass a set of forbidden AI practices beyond safety and security requirements, including objectives like balance AI innovation with economy, integrity, and society. While AI governance under the EU AI Act presents both challenges and opportunities for sports harmed by the inappropriate AI conduct, the analysis of this paper also applies to clubs, legal entities, and all relevant stakeholders in European sports, especially those with complying with the EU AI Act in sports.
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