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LEGAL ENGLISH · BREAKING NEWS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

MEPS APPROVES
WORLD’S FIRST
COMPREHENSIVE
AI LAW
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1 Warm up

Look at the pictures and decide if each one is a photograph, a painting, or an AI-generated image.
Then answer the questions below.

AI-generated painting photograph

1. 2. 3.

1. How can it impact society if AI-made content looks identical to content made by a human?

2. Should there be international rules for artificial intelligence?

3. Do laws aimed at controlling AI risk slowing down technological progress?

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MEPS APPROVES WORLD’S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE AI LAW

2 Vocabulary

You are going to listen to a news report about a new piece of legislation. Add the following words to
the gaps in the definitions.

Group A

forbidden nations obligation out purpose security

1. bloc (n) - a group of , states, or entities with common interests or goals

2. safeguarding (v) - protecting or ensuring the of something

3. deployed (v) - utilised resources or personnel for a specific or task

4. overseen (v) - supervised, managed, or watched over something, ensuring that it is carried
correctly

5. prohibited (adj.) - not allowed or by law or authority

6. exempt (adj.) - free from a particular , requirement, or rule.

Group B

breaking crime large produce protection terms

1. generative (adj.) - having the ability to or create

2. copyright (n) - legal granted to the creator of original work, giving them exclusive
rights to its use and distribution

3. perpetrator (n) - a person who commits a or wrongdoing

4. hefty (adj.) - in amount, size, weight, or importance

5. breaching (v) - violating or a law, rule, agreement, or standard

6. provisions (n) - specified in a document, contract, or law

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MEPS APPROVES WORLD’S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE AI LAW

3 Listening for gist

Listen to the news report and answer the question below.

What is the main idea of the report?

a. The danger of AI-generated images and why they require legislation is looked at in detail.

b. A new piece of legislation and how it will work is explained.

c. A European policy that aims to stop the development of AI is examined.

4 Listening for comprehension

Listen to the news report and decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. The new law builds on previous Europe-wide laws.

2. High-risk systems require supervision.

3. Some bodies are granted immunity from the new regulations.

4. Companies must conceal the data used to develop AI systems.

5. Prison sentences await any party that breaks the new law.

5 Legal vocabulary

Read the short text on page four and match the words and phrases with the correct definitions.

amendment consent impunity

offense ruling violation

1. an illegal act or wrongdoing, typically punishable by law

2. a formal change or addition to a legal document

3. exemption or freedom from punishment or harm, often despite wrongdoing

4. a decision or judgment made by a court or legal authority

5. an act of disregarding or infringing upon a law, rule, or agreement

6. permission or agreement given voluntarily, especially in legal contexts

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MEPS APPROVES WORLD’S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE AI LAW

6 New laws to tackle deepfakes

Read the text and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

Creating Explicit Deepfake Images to Be Made an Offense

in UK
Offenders could face jail if an image is widely shared

Creating an explicit "deepfake" image is to be made an offense under a new law, the Ministry of Justice has
1
announced. The Online Safety Act had already the sharing of these pictures, whose creation
2
is made possible by in artificial intelligence, but this new ruling goes one step further. Under
the legislation, anyone who creates such a picture or video without consent will face a criminal record and an
unlimited fine. They could even be sent to jail if it is shared more widely. The creation of such material will be a
3
crime regardless of whether the creator to share it, the department said.

The offense will be introduced through an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, which is making its
4
through parliament. Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, supported the announcement,
saying: "Superimposing somebody’s image onto sexually explicit photos and videos is a gross violation of their
5
and privacy, which can cause enormous harm. It’s essential that the police and prosecutors
6
are equipped with the training and required to rigorously enforce these laws in order to stop
perpetrators from acting with impunity."

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

1. A. outlaw B. banning C. criminalized D. illegally

2. A. steps B. advances C. forward D. progresses

3. A. delivered B. contacted C. intended D. emailed

4. A. process B. route C. path D. way

5. A. autonomy B. online C. duty D. permission

6. A. intelligence B. ability C. method D. tools

7 Talking point

Discuss the following questions

1. Do you agree that creating certain images should be a crime, even if they are not shared?
2. What role should social media platforms play in regulating and removing deepfake content?
3. How can parents control what their children are exposed to online?

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MEPS APPROVES WORLD’S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE AI LAW

8 Focus on vocabulary
Match the words with the correct definitions. Then find them in the article about the response to the
new AI act, on page six.

Group A

1. de facto (adj.) a. the process of extracting or gathering data from various sources

2. underpinning (v) b. something given to make a concept clearer and easier to

understand
3. harnessed (v) c. utilized or controlled effectively for a specific purpose or task

4. lobbied (v) d. providing support or justification for its existence or operation

5. scraping (v) e. existing or functioning in reality, though not necessarily officially

recognized
6. clarification (n) f. attempted to influence or persuade government officials or
lawmakers

Group B

1. vying (v) a. the practice of designing or planning something in a way that

minimizes the risk of becoming obsolete or outdated
2. lucrative (adj.) b. specific levels or points at which something changes or is reached

3. watchdogs (n) c. producing a great deal of profit or financial gain

4. implementation (n) d. the process of putting a plan, decision, or policy into effect or
action
5. thresholds (n) e. individuals or organizations that monitor and scrutinize the
actions of others
6. future-proofing (n) f. competing for something, typically in a vigorous or determined
manner

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EU Makes History with New AI Act

Tech Companies’ concerns amidst new legislation

A. The AI Act places the EU at the forefront of global attempts to address the dangers associated with artificial
intelligence. While in China there is a loose patchwork of laws, and in the US, President Biden announced
an executive order requiring AI developers to share data with the government, this is the most wide-ranging
legislation brought in to date. "The adoption of the AI Act marks the beginning of a new AI era and its importance
cannot be overstated," said Enza Iannopollo, principal analyst at Forrester. She said it would make the EU the "de
facto" global standard for trustworthy AI, leaving every other region to "play catch-up."

B. However, there are fears among some companies about how this might affect their ability to innovate. The Act
creates provisions to tackle risks posed by the systems underpinning generative AI tools and chatbots. These
would require producers of some so-called general-purpose AI systems that can be harnessed for a range of tasks
to be transparent about the material used to train their models and to comply with EU copyright law. MEP Dragos
Tudorache told reporters ahead of the vote that copyright provisions had been one of the "heaviest lobbied" parts
of the bill.

C. OpenAI, Stability AI, and graphics chip giant Nvidia are among a handful of AI firms facing lawsuits over their use
of data to train generative models. Some artists, writers, and musicians have argued the process of "scraping"
huge volumes of data, including their own works, from virtually all corners of the Internet violates copyright laws.
This is just one of many areas about which businesses are seeking clarification before the act comes into effect in
2025. Kirsten Rulf - a former advisor to the German government, and now a partner at Boston Consulting Group
- says more than 300 firms have been in touch with her company so far. "They want to know how to scale the
tech, and get value from AI," she said.

D. Since AI will likely transform every aspect of Europeans’ lives, and big tech firms are vying for dominance in what
will be a lucrative market, the EU has been subject to intense lobbying over the legislation. Watchdogs pointed
to campaigning by French AI startup Mistral AI and Germany’s Aleph Alpha, as well as US-based tech giants like
Google and Microsoft. They warned the implementation of the new rules "could be further weakened by corporate
lobbying," adding that research showed "just how strong corporate influence" can be. Many details of the AI Act
are still open and need to be clarified in numerous implementing acts, for example, with regard to standards,
thresholds, or transparency obligations. Whether it is possible to keep big tech on side while also future-proofing
Europe remains to be seen.

Sources: Time, France24

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MEPS APPROVES WORLD’S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE AI LAW

9 Reading comprehension

Read the article on page six again, then complete the following sentences with ONE or TWO words.

1. An in the US means that data relating to AI development must be shared with

the government.

2. The Act includes to address the risks associated with the systems that support
chatbots.

3. AI systems must existing laws relating to ownership of images.

4. Some creatives believe that “scraping” breaks .

5. Many firms have inquired the best way to the new technology.

6. was cited as a potential factor that could affect the implementation of the new
rules.

10 Role play

In pairs, act out the role play, inserting a word from the list where there is a gap. All the words have
been used in the lesson.

breaching deployed future-proofing implementation

impunity provisions ruling scraping

1
Student A: Hey, what do you make of the of the new AI regulations?
2
Student B: I guess it’s a good idea, but how these new rules are exactly
remains a bit of a mystery. I figure there’ll be a few problems along the way.
3
Student A: Yes, but our infrastructure is vital, not just in terms of
employment, but in all aspects of life. Who knows what’s round the corner.
4
Student B: Well, this new certainly marks a significant shift in how we
approach technology.
5
Student A: I think some companies believe they can act with total –
there are dozens of copyright cases against AI firms, but they don’t seem at
6
all concerned. They’ve been the entire Internet, taking what
they want, in order to train their models.
7
Data Scientist: That’s a valid concern. The new must be robust enough to
hold companies to account.
8
Student: Agreed. And them should have serious consequences.

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