The EU may pass a law as soon as October 2023 that effectively bans AI inside the EU.

The claim is that the EU might pass a law as soon as October 2023 that 'effectively bans AI inside the EU'. The test is whether such a law was on track for, or achieved, passage around October 2023, and whether it would effectively ban AI in the EU. Because the timing is strongly hedged ('may', 'as soon as'), the 'effectively bans AI' part is the core requirement. TRUE: EU legislation was adopted, or politically agreed, around October 2023, and its terms effectively prohibit developing or deploying AI generally in the EU. MOSTLY TRUE: such a ban-like law passed, but somewhat later than October 2023. MOSTLY FALSE: an EU AI law was advancing or passed around then, but it regulates AI by risk tier and bans only specific practices. That is a real regulation overstated as a ban. FALSE: no EU law near that time came close to passing, and the law that eventually passed plainly permits general AI development and use.

Set before the research began.

1. E1 EU Policymakers Clear Way For Passing Of Landmark AI Act - Law360 Law360 · 9 December 2023

   “The AI Act proposes taking a risk-based, tiered approach to regulation that includes completely banning certain applications of the technology, including some uses of biometric systems,”

2. E2 AI Act enters into force European Commission (Directorate-General for Communication) · 1 August 2024

   “Minimal risk: most AI systems such as spam filters and AI-enabled video games face no obligation under the AI Act, but companies can voluntarily adopt additional codes of conduct.”

3. E3 Artificial intelligence act | Legislative Train Schedule European Parliament · 20 April 2024

   “Trilogue meetings took place in June, July, September, October and December 2023. Following protracted negotiations, the Council presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on the AI act on 9 December 2023.”

4. E4 Historic Timeline artificialintelligenceact.eu (EU AI Act resource run by the Future of Life Institute)

   “9 December 2023 – The Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the AI Act.”

The EU AI Act was in trilogue negotiations in October 2023, and a provisional agreement followed on 9 December 2023 (E3, E4). So an EU AI law was moving forward around the time of the claim. Independent reporting says the law takes a risk-based, tiered approach and fully bans only certain uses, such as some biometric systems (E1). They also say most AI systems face no obligations under it (E2). That makes it a real regulation that the claim overstates as an effective ban on AI, which fits the criteria's "mostly false" category.