Digihumanism calls for an independent Lead Scientific Advisor @ EU AI Office

On November 14, 2024, the AI Office opened an external call for applications to fill the position of Lead Scientific Advisor at the EU AI Office. (Vacancy notice, deadline for application: December 13, 2024, available here.)

The Lead Scientific Advisor will advise the AI Office on issues relating to the implementation of rules on General-Purpose AI and to related scientific approaches.

Digihumanism calls for the recruitment of the Lead Scientific Advisor to be open and transparent.

Proper implementation and enforcement of the EU AI Act requires the Lead Scientific Advisor to be fully independent, with no ties to either governments or the Tech industry in at least the past 5 years. A forward-looking declaration of commitment to act independently in the public interest is not enough to ensure complete independence. Experience bias should be avoided. The required declaration of any interests which might be considered prejudicial to the Lead Scientific Advisor’s independence should cover the past 5 years.

The Lead Scientific Advisor should be well-versed in both technical and European fundamental rights matters. With regard to General-Purpose AI, the Code of Practice currently under draft aims to implement the EU AI Act. Advice in the field should be tailored to the objectives of the EU AI Act and follow the distinct European approach carved out in the Act. Existing international standardisation efforts tend to focus on protecting the objectives of organisations using AI. Whereas the purpose of the AI Act is to address and prioritise the risks that AI could pose to the health, safety and fundamental rights of individuals. In a recent research paper, members of the AI Office emphasised the “fundamental differences between managing risks to organisational objectives and addressing possible risks of AI systems to individuals.” Providing advice on the latter is the role of the Lead Scientific Advisor. They should have the relevant background, expertise and experience to do so.

This also explains why the Lead Scientific Advisor should not only be a European citizen but they should have exercised their main professional activity in Europe for at least the past 5 years.