The first General-Purpose Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Code of Practice: Appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs

Subject: The first General-Purpose Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Code of Practice: Appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs

The AI Act provides rules for providers of GPAI models, which will become effective in August 2025. In order to specify the above-mentioned rules, Article 56 of the Act requires the AI Office to encourage and facilitate the drawing-up of a code of practice.

In July 2024, an iterative drafting process was presented and the AI Office announced that Chairs and Vice-Chairs would be appointed for each of the four working groups, selected from independent experts who had expressed their interest by 25 August 2024.

The drafting began at a kick-off plenary on 30 September with the participation of hundreds of stakeholders. Based on the submissions from a multi-stakeholder consultation, the Chairs and Vice-Chairs should develop a first draft of the Code and share it at the second plenary. In total, there will be four drafting rounds. The final Code should be ready by 2 May 2025 to enabling providers to demonstrate compliance on time.

In this context:

1. How is the Commission selecting Chairs and Vice-Chairs, particularly with respect to internationally recognised expertise?

2. How will the Commission ensure that the Chairs and Vice-Chairs are able to deliver an adequate final Code in such a short timeline?

Submitted: 5.12.2024

Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission (8 April 2025)

The Code of Practice on general-purpose Artificial Intelligence (AI) models will set out commitments to which providers of such models may voluntarily adhere to ensure their compliance with the relevant provisions under the AI Ac t (1). Article 56(9) of the AI Act provides that the Code must be completed no later than 2 May 2025.

The AI Office has facilitated the drawing-up of the Code. It published an expression of interest inviting academics and other independent experts to apply for the role of Chairs by August 2024 and it selected and appointed 13 such Chairs and Vice- Chairs in September 2024 based on their expertise, ability to effectively fulfil the role and the tasks, and independence, while aiming to ensure geographical diversity and gender balance.

Internationally recognised expertise played an important role in the selection procedure and was taken into account through inter alia the applicants’ professional experience, publications, academic qualifications, faculty appointments or research projects.

The process of drawing-up the Code was designed by the AI Office to be as inclusive and transparent as possible. It is an iterative approach that includes four drafting rounds accompanied by working group meetings, mindful of the legal deadlines.

For each draft, stakeholders have at least two weeks to submit their comments in writing. Chairs and Vice-Chairs are given sufficient time to synthesise feedback and to write the next iteration of the Code.

The AI Office is supporting the Chairs and Vice-Chairs by ensuring compliance with the legal framework. If a Code cannot be finalised, or if the AI Office deems it is not adequate, the Commission may provide, by means of implementing acts, common rules for the implementation of the obligations.

1 ∙ ⸱ Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and

amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act), OJ L, 2024/1689.