EU AI Guidelines: Protecting Privacy and Preventing Manipulation

The European Commission has issued AI guidelines prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence for tracking employees' emotions and deceiving consumers into making purchases. These rules align with the EU's expansive Artificial Intelligence Act, aiming to provide legal certainty and prohibit manipulative AI practices in the European market.

In a landmark move, the European Commission announced new guidelines on Tuesday aimed at regulating the use of artificial intelligence, particularly in the context of employee monitoring and consumer protection.

The guidelines outlaw the use of AI to track staff emotions or trick consumers into spending money, aligning with the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act, which will be fully effective by August 2026. Some provisions, such as the ban on specific practices, are in effect from February this year.

The act seeks to offer legal certainty for AI providers and surveillance authorities within the European market, declaring certain manipulative practices illegal. The guidelines prohibit AI-enabled dark patterns and social scoring based on personal demographics, with severe penalties for non-compliance.

(With inputs from agencies.)