The research community is supportive, although some are concerned it could lead to political interference
The European Commission is planning to set up a mechanism that would help researchers report concerns about the misuse of AI in science. This could include establishing an independent EU body or contact point to manage cases of whistleblowing.
This move comes just days after the Commission released a strategy for promoting the development of AI in science.
“Currently, there is no EU-level mechanism to report concerns about the misuse of AI in scientific research,” the Commission writes in a consultation on the future European Research Area (ERA) Act, which opened on October 13. “Researchers lack trusted and secure channels to raise the alarm when AI is used unethically or for (un)intended harmful purposes. This gap increases the risk that dangerous applications go undetected and undermines trust in the research system.”
The Commission also sees a need to align codes of conduct for using AI across the bloc. “Research proposals involving AI are subject to varying requirements on ethics, transparency, intellectual property, data protection and data governance,” it says.
The suggestion is that the ERA Act, which is due to be presented in 2026, would include non-binding EU-wide principles and harmonised guidelines on the responsible and ethical use of AI in research.
The broad proposal has been welcomed by the research community, although questions remain about the...
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