Written by Haim Ravia and Dotan Hammer
The Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, in partnership with the Legal Counsel and Legislative Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice, has released a regulatory policy document to guide government ministries and regulators on AI regulation and ethics.
The document highlights the vital role of responsible AI development in promoting growth, sustainable development, social welfare, and Israeli leadership in innovation. It stresses the need for a unified, government-wide regulatory policy on AI to achieve policy objectives, enhance the AI sector, protect fundamental rights and public interests, and minimize risks to technological innovation.
The guidelines aim to strike a balance between legal certainty, the protection of public rights and interests, and the promotion of technological innovation. The guidance for regulators includes:
- Operating within sector-specific regulations and avoiding broad legislation in the AI field, considering the diverse applications of AI technology, the limited understanding of its implications, and the rapid pace of technological advancements.
- Implementing a regulatory policy that aligns with global regulations and those adopted by international organizations.
- Tailoring regulation to the risks posed by AI technology, as determined by regulators’ risk management assessments.
- Developing regulation in phases and with flexibility according to technological advancements, utilizing regulatory experiments, sandboxes, and neutral, adaptable tools not bound to any specific system.
Additionally, the guidance recommends that regulators base their policies on OECD principles, fostering reliable AI technology that promotes growth, sustainable development, innovation, social welfare, responsibility, respect for fundamental rights and public interests, equality, bias prevention, transparency, clarity, reliability, resilience, security, and safety.
The document also proposes the creation of a governmental AI knowledge center, staffed with state employees skilled in regulatory policy, technology, and law. This center will function as an expert internal governmental body responsible for regulation, information and data policies, ethical issues, international civilian collaborations, and public and civil sector implementation. The knowledge center’s tasks will include advising regulators, leading Israel’s representation in international forums, creating dialogue and knowledge-sharing forums with academia and industry, aiding regulators in identifying AI applications and challenges in regulated sectors, and more.
Click here to read the new AI Regulatory Policy Document (in Hebrew).
Click here to read more about the National Artificial Intelligence Program (in Hebrew).
