Info CDMX Proposes AI Regulation Bill Focused on Ethics & Safety

Mexico City's Institute for Transparency, Access to Public Information, Protection of Personal Data and Accountability has introduced a bill to the Mexico City Congress to regulate artificial intelligence (AI). If approved, this legislation would establish Mexico City as the first entity in the country to regulate this technology, thereby setting a significant precedent for the rest of Latin America.

The presiding commissioners of Info CDMX, Arístides Guerrero and Julio César Bonilla, who are leading the proposal, indicated that the regulatory framework is based on three pillars: ethics, security, and transparency. According to Guerrero, the initiative “seeks to ensure that technology is developed and used in harmony with human rights, protecting the privacy and security of citizens.”

The rapid adoption of AI has generated the need for a regulatory framework to mitigate risks associated with the misuse of data and automated systems. In this regard, the commissioners noted that the proposed law aims to create a regulatory environment that holds both the public sector and private entities that receive public funds accountable. 

The legislative proposal includes the obligation to submit to algorithmic audits by the Digital Agency for Public Innovation to verify the fair and safe operation of AI systems, as reported by Líder Empresarial. In the event of infractions, the regulation contemplates sanctions ranging from warnings to fines in excess of MX$160,000 (US$8,000), temporary suspension of systems, and revocation of licenses. In addition, a mechanism will be established for the receiving and following up of citizen complaints through Info CDMX.

The regulatory framework also seeks to address key aspects such as transparency in automated decision making and accountability in data management, with the aim of minimizing biases and errors in algorithms that could negatively affect users.

It should be noted that this initiative is in line with a global trend toward the regulation of emerging technologies, in the face of concerns about the ethical and safe use of AI. In May, the European Union passed the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), which classifies AI uses by levels of risk and places restrictions on those that pose high risks to fundamental human rights. 

In Asia, according to El País, South Korea has been evolving its regulations since 2020 and, on February 19, the Assembly proposed a law that regulates the use of AI in companies and creates a behavioral framework inspired by European regulations. 

These approaches, which seek to prioritize global competitiveness, have also been adopted by Japan and the United Arab Emirates, which have opted to create flexible regulatory frameworks instead of strict regulations, as seen in the case of the European Union.

In North America, Canada continues to work on the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), which seeks a balance between innovation and protection of rights, while the United States focuses its efforts on state policies and collaboration with private companies to design flexible regulations, as in the case of the bill known as SB 1047, presented before the state of California. 

Latin America is at an early stage, with Brazil's legislation establishing levels of risk and governance for the implementation of AI, and Chile's regulatory proposal covering related technologies, according to Líder Empresarial.

In the Mexican context, as reported by Líder Empresarial, there are 31 initiatives in the Senate related to AI, although most are focused on criminalizing offenses derived from its misuse. However, only a limited number of these proposals address the need for a comprehensive regulatory framework.