We are regulating everyone else's AI
Today, the reality is clear: Europe is lagging behind in the development of models, the creation of technological platforms, and the ability to transform scientific knowledge into scalable products.

Latest news and stories about ai act in Portugal for expats and residents.
Today, the reality is clear: Europe is lagging behind in the development of models, the creation of technological platforms, and the ability to transform scientific knowledge into scalable products.

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (the AI Act) and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (the GDPR) create a demanding regulatory framework for the use of AI in European judicial systems. The AI Act classifies AI systems used in the administration of justice as high-risk, requiring strict compliance with risk management, data quality, technical documentation, transparency, and human oversight. Furthermore, the GDPR imposes stringent rules on the international transfer of sensitive judicial data, particularly when processing occurs on servers outside the EEA. This regulatory intersection suggests that AI providers must localise data processing infrastructure within the EU to ensure digital sovereignty and maintain control over the administration of justice.

Artificial Intelligence is embedding itself into the heart of European political and administrative power with little public debate. While framed as a drive for efficiency and competitiveness, this shift risks creating a new power architecture that bypasses democratic scrutiny. The article argues that initiatives like the EU AI Act and the Omnibus package, which aim to accelerate legislative processes, may inadvertently reduce civic oversight and increase dependence on major US technology firms. As public administrations rely more on external tech infrastructure and expertise, power is quietly shifting from transparent public institutions to opaque technical circuits, threatening the very democratic control that digital sovereignty is supposed to protect.
