Belgium has taken significant strides in promoting the development of ethical and trustworthy artificial intelligence through the adoption of a comprehensive national strategy and several key initiatives. The country's approach to AI governance is guided by a strong commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
National AI Strategy Focuses on Ethics and Coherence
In October 2022, the Belgian Federal Government approved a National Convergence Plan for the development of AI. The plan aims to foster AI development while emphasizing the protection of fundamental rights, privacy, and non-discrimination within an appropriate ethical and legal framework. The strategy seeks to ensure coherence among the various regional AI strategies and federate them towards common objectives that closely resemble the OECD AI principles.
The nine objectives outlined in the plan include promoting trustworthy AI, guaranteeing cybersecurity, strengthening Belgium's competitiveness and attractiveness through AI, developing a data-driven economy and high-performance infrastructure, centralizing AI in healthcare, using AI for sustainable mobility, protecting the environment, providing better learning opportunities, and offering citizens better service and protection.
Public Participation and Algorithmic Transparency
As part of its Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2024, Belgium launched a pioneering citizens' panel on AI to ensure an inclusive and participatory approach to European policy formulation. The panel, comprised of a diverse group of 60 randomly selected individuals, will present its conclusions to Belgian and European political leaders in May 2024.
Belgium has also taken steps to increase algorithmic transparency in public administration. In January 2023, Brussels, along with eight other European cities, adopted the Algorithmic Transparency Standard, an algorithm register that provides residents with information on the use and impact of algorithms by municipalities.
Regulatory Frameworks and Oversight
As an EU member state, Belgium is subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the recently adopted EU AI Act. The country has also transposed the EU Law Enforcement Directive into national law and established the Supervisory Body for Police Information to oversee the use of data by law enforcement.
Belgium has expressed concerns over the use of facial recognition technology, with the Supervisory Body for Police Information criticizing its use at the Brussels airport and advising police to cease using the controversial Clearview AI system. The country has also called for the creation of an ethical advisory board on safety to evaluate the use of technology in investigation and intervention.
International Engagement and Lethal Autonomous Weapons
Belgium has been actively involved in international efforts to address the challenges posed by AI and lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). In January 2023, Belgium became one of the first countries to implement an outright ban on LAWS. The country has also participated in UN discussions on LAWS, endorsed joint statements calling for responsible AI development in the military domain, and contributed to the Council of Europe's Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law.
Looking Ahead
As Belgium continues to implement its national AI strategy and engage with international partners, the country is well-positioned to become a leader in the development of ethical and trustworthy AI. By prioritizing public participation, algorithmic transparency, and robust oversight mechanisms, Belgium is demonstrating its commitment to ensuring that AI benefits society while respecting fundamental rights and democratic values.
This country report is our interpretation and summary of the "CAIDP Artificial Intelligence & Democratic Values Index 2023". The full report can be found here - https://www.caidp.org/reports/aidv-2023/