Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1502390
2 NEWS 29.6.2023 LAWS regulating Artificial Intelligence must plan for rapid exponential growth and cater for the high-level expertise that will be required to enforce rules, experts in Malta have agreed. Dr. Antonio Ghio, President of the Malta IT Law Association (MITLA), led a discussion this week towards an expan- sive discussion on IT law frameworks. "What's coming in the next five or 10 years will make ChatGPT look like a toy and it would be terrible strategy for leg- islators to stop at what AI can do today," said AI practitioner and MITLA Board Member, Dr. Gege Gatt. AI was one of the hottest debates dur- ing Digital Safeguards, the annual con- ference by the Malta IT Law Association (MITLA), which brought together a host of local experts in the field to discuss AI, privacy, cybersecurity and DORA (the Digital Operational Resilience Act). e EU's AI Act, which was this week approved by the European Parliament, took centre stage. e Act, which aims to be the world's first comprehensive law on AI, will seek to regulate any AI systems whose output enters the EU market. AI expert Dr. Dylan Seychell warned about the practical difficulties of hav- ing human oversight of such complex systems, and Professor Alexiei Dingli cautioned against self-assessment proce- dures which had already been problem- atic in other sectors. e Malta Digital Innovation Author- ity spoke about its own responsibility to represent Malta's interests in these legal discussions as well as its role in certifying AI systems that meet the EU standards in Malta. e panel discussion on Cybersecurity highlighted the increasing convergence of law and technology. Traditionally seen as separate fields, the changing cyber landscape has blurred the lines between legal and technology expertise. e dis- cussion emphasised the need for legal professionals to understand cyber risks and for technologists to grasp the asso- ciated liabilities. e panel also addressed the ongoing harmonisation of cybersecurity legis- lation and the importance of liability considerations including implications of personal liability being introduced on management boards. e annual conference was an oppor- tunity for experts and legal practitioners in Malta to delve deeper into various laws impacting their sectors, such as DORA, an EU law designed to strength- en the protection of financial institutions against digital threats like cyber attacks and system failures. e DORA panel highlighted the reg- ulation's wide-reaching scope as both financial entities and third-party service providers may be caught within its pro- visions. Emphasis was also placed on the need for continuous monitoring of DORA's implementation because much of the technical detail needed to complete the law is still being drafted by the relevant European Supervisory Authorities. Given the introduction of various new laws in the ICT field which will also im- pact privacy, a GDPR-related debate was merited. One of the panels discussed the fine balance required between the right to privacy and the right of freedom of ex- pression and information. Matthew Caruana Galizia largely con- tributed to this debate and pushed for more open knowledge and reasonable access rights in this regard, particularly to investigative journalists. Data Protection Commissioner Ian De- guara indicated that in certain cases, his office is not aligned with local practices removing judgements from the Courts' website, while Gerladine Spiteri Lucas, CEO at the Malta Business Registry ex- plained why access is restricted on ulti- mate beneficial owners. MITLA organises regular events that are designed to keep the legal and tech community in Malta abreast of indus- try developments. Members of MITLA get privileged access to such events and memberships can be obtained on www. mitla.org.mt/membership e event was sponsored by RMC Wise, Fenech & Fenech, GTG Advo- cates, Camilleri Preziosi, MDIA, BMIT and CSB Group. AI revolution: Malta IT Law Association convenes thought leaders for EU AI Act exploration Panel discussion on cybersecurity MALTA International Airport's Chief Executive Officer, Alan Borg, has been elected to Airports Council Internation- al (ACI) Europe's regional board, becom- ing the first Malta International Airport CEO to secure a seat at this table. Borg's election to the board was an- nounced during ACl's 34th General As- sembly, which was held in Barcelona on 27 June. Together with the chief executive of- ficers of Aeroporti di Milano Linate e Malpensa and Aeroporti di Roma, Borg will be representing the airports that fall within the European southern sub-re- gion, which covers 19 markets including Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Spain. e board is mainly composed of represent- atives from five European sub-regions, of which the southern sub-region is re- sponsible for the largest share of traffic. "is seat will give us the opportunity to make ourselves heard in relation to challenges such as seasonality, sustain- able growth, and the impact of the re- quirements of the Fit for 55 package on destinations that, like Malta, are some- what detached from the mainland," Borg said. "e opportunity to bring pressure to bear on decision-making bodies through the seat we have secured is not only a win for Malta International Airport but also for the wider local aviation industry." Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe said it was an honour and a pleasure to welcome Borg to the Board of ACI Europe. "e role of insular airports such as Malta has never been more vital to our membership and our industry as a whole. ey are flying the flag for con- nectivity and cohesion as well as driving our recovery in passenger traffic as a new sustainable aviation paradigm emerges," he said. "Alan brings a rich background in airport management and a wealth of experience - our board will be all the stronger for his presence." ACI Europe was established to lend air- ports a stronger and more unified voice in all matters related to aviation, today representing 500 member airports in 55 countries. e organisation has most recently been vocal about the impact of burdensome restrictions on air travel, the industry's post-COVID recovery and aviation-specific sustainability topics. In 2019, ACI Europe made waves with its landmark NetZero 2050 Resolution, which has been signed by more than 100 airport groups and airports, includ- ing Malta International Airport, making it one of the most significant collective commitments by a single industry to- wards the decarbonisation of its opera- tion. MIA secures first-ever seat on Airports Council International's regional board Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe (left) with MIA CEO Alan Borg