Ukraine unveils AI regulation roadmap in new White Paper

Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation has unveiled a new White Paper outlining its approach to regulating artificial intelligence in the country.

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According to the document, AI regulation will be implemented gradually, focusing on balancing citizen rights protection with business interests. The paper proposes a detailed action plan to create a favorable environment for AI development, particularly in the context of Ukraine's EU integration.

Implementation is planned in two stages: a preparatory phase and the introduction of legislation mirroring the EU's AI Act. The first stage involves creating non-legislative tools such as labeling mechanisms, a "regulatory sandbox," and a voluntary code. The Ministry plans to launch a unified responsible AI portal for this purpose. Initial estimates suggest the first stage will last one to two years.

The second stage will focus on developing and adopting national AI regulation legislation similar to that passed in the EU.

A Kantar Ukraine survey found that 50% of Ukrainians view AI positively, with 73% believing it can improve human life. Additionally, 45% of respondents support introducing AI regulation laws, while 41% remain undecided.

Hordii Rumiantsev, the legal consultant for the AI division at the Ministry, told DOU that the White Paper aims to balance various stakeholders' interests. He believes many tools proposed in the document will benefit businesses entering EU and other markets.

Oleksii Molchanovskyi, head of the AI regulation committee and director of the master's program in data science at the Ukrainian Catholic University, emphasized the importance of early communication about potential regulations. He gave an example of a "regulatory sandbox" – an environment where businesses can simulate future AI rules in an easy-to-use format. This will help companies understand what to prepare for and whether they need new specialists to work with AI regulation.

Oleksandr Krakovetskyi, co-founder and CEO of DevRain and DonorUA, highlighted the document's exclusion of AI regulation for the military-industrial complex and its straightforward language. However, he noted some confusion between technologies, products, and their categories, as well as insufficient analysis and relevance detailing.

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