Ministers recommend ‘risk-based’ AI legislation for the G7. As European lawmakers rush to pass an AI Act to regulate emerging tools like ChatGPT, the Group of Seven digital ministers agreed on Sunday to “risk-based” regulation of artificial intelligence.

In a joint statement after a two-day summit in Japan, G7 ministers said AI legislation should “preserve an open and enabling environment” and be founded on democratic ideals.

“Policy instruments to achieve the common vision and goal of trustworthy AI may vary across G7 members,” the ministers acknowledged. Still, the pact sets a precedent for how large countries regulate AI amid privacy and security concerns.

“The conclusions of this G7 meeting show that we are definitely not alone in this,” European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager told Reuters before the accord.

Since its November launch, Microsoft Corp-backed (MSFT.O) OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot, the fastest-growing app ever, has caught the interest of governments.

The ministerial statement said, “We plan to convene future G7 discussions on generative AI which could include topics such as governance, how to safeguard intellectual property rights including copyright, promote transparency, address disinformation,” and foreign information manipulation.

Italy, a G7 member, suspended ChatGPT last month to investigate a possible data breach. However, Italy removed the restriction on Friday, prompting European privacy officials to investigate.

Following a call for world leaders to hold a summit to control AI, EU lawmakers agreed on a new AI Act draft on Thursday, including copyright protection for generative AI.

EU tech regulator Vestager claimed the group “will have the political agreement this year” on AI rules, such as marking AI-generated pictures and music to address copyright and educational issues.

Meanwhile, this year’s G7 chair, Japan, has supported AI developers and public and industrial adoption.

On Friday, before ministerial discussions, industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said Japan wanted the G7 “to agree on agile or flexible governance, rather than preemptive, catch-all regulation” of AI technology.

“Pausing (AI development) is not the right response – innovation should keep developing but within certain guardrails that democracies have to set,” Jean-Noel Barrot, French Minister for Digital Transition, told Reuters. France will provide some exceptions to small AI developers under the upcoming EU regulation.

Security was another G7 worry. “Generative AI…produces fake news and disruptive solutions to society if the data it’s based on is fake,” Japanese digital minister Taro Kono told a press conference after the agreement.

After energy and foreign ministers’ talks this month, G7 senior tech leaders convened in Takasaki, roughly 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Tokyo.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will host the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in late May, where world leaders will address AI guidelines.