**Target:** Proposal for a regulation — Recital 16

## Text proposed by the Commission

(16) The placing on the market, putting into service or use of certain AI systems intended to distort human behaviour, whereby physical or psychological harms are likely to occur, should be forbidden. Such AI systems deploy subliminal components individuals cannot perceive or exploit vulnerabilities of children and people due to their age, physical or mental incapacities. They do so with the intention to materially distort the behaviour of a person and in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harm to that or another person. The intention may not be presumed if the distortion of human behaviour results from factors external to the AI system which are outside of the control of the provider or the user. Research for legitimate purposes in relation to such AI systems should not be stifled by the prohibition, if such research does not amount to use of the AI system in human-machine relations that exposes natural persons to harm and such research is carried out in accordance with recognised ethical standards for scientific research.

(16)

(16)

## Amendment of the European Parliament

(16) The placing on the market, putting into service or use of certain AI systems with the objective to or the effect of materially distorting human behaviour, whereby physical or psychological harms are likely to occur, should be forbidden. This limitation should be understood to include neuro-technologies assisted by AI systems that are used to monitor, use, or influence neural data gathered through brain-computer interfaces insofar as they are materially distorting the behaviour of a natural person in a manner that causes or is likely to cause that person or another person significant harm. Such AI systems deploy subliminal components individuals cannot perceive or exploit vulnerabilities of individuals and specific groups of persons due to their known or predicted personality traits, age, physical or mental incapacities , social or economic situation . They do so with the intention to or the effect of materially distorting the behaviour of a person and in a manner that causes or is likely to cause significant harm to that or another person or groups of persons, including harms that may be accumulated over time. The intention to distort the behaviour may not be presumed if the distortion results from factors external to the AI system which are outside of the control of the provider or the user , such as factors that may not be reasonably foreseen and mitigated by the provider or the deployer of the AI system. In any case, it is not necessary for the provider or the deployer to have the intention to cause the significant harm, as long as such harm results from the manipulative or exploitative AI-enabled practices. The prohibitions for such AI practices is complementary to the provisions contained in Directive 2005/29/EC, according to which unfair commercial practices are prohibited, irrespective of whether they carried out having recourse to AI systems or otherwise. In such setting, lawful commercial practices, for example in the field of advertising, that are in compliance with Union law should not in themselves be regarded as violating prohibition. Research for legitimate purposes in relation to such AI systems should not be stifled by the prohibition, if such research does not amount to use of the AI system in human-machine relations that exposes natural persons to harm and such research is carried out in accordance with recognised ethical standards for scientific research and on the basis of specific informed consent of the individuals that are exposed to them or, where applicable, of their legal guardian.

The placing on the market, putting into service or use of certain AI systems intended to distort human behaviour, whereby physical or psychological harms are likely to occur, should be forbidden. Such AI systems deploy subliminal components individuals cannot perceive or exploit vulnerabilities of children and people due to their age, physical or mental incapacities. They do so with the intention to materially distort the behaviour of a person and in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harm to that or another person. The intention may not be presumed if the distortion of human behaviour results from factors external to the AI system which are outside of the control of the provider or the user. Research for legitimate purposes in relation to such AI systems should not be stifled by the prohibition, if such research does not amount to use of the AI system in human-machine relations that exposes natural persons to harm and such research is carried out in accordance with recognised ethical standards for scientific research.

The placing on the market, putting into service or use of certain AI systems with the objective to or the effect of materially distorting human behaviour, whereby physical or psychological harms are likely to occur, should be forbidden. This limitation should be understood to include neuro-technologies assisted by AI systems that are used to monitor, use, or influence neural data gathered through brain-computer interfaces insofar as they are materially distorting the behaviour of a natural person in a manner that causes or is likely to cause that person or another person significant harm. Such AI systems deploy subliminal components individuals cannot perceive or exploit vulnerabilities of individuals and specific groups of persons due to their known or predicted personality traits, age, physical or mental incapacities , social or economic situation . They do so with the intention to or the effect of materially distorting the behaviour of a person and in a manner that causes or is likely to cause significant harm to that or another person or groups of persons, including harms that may be accumulated over time. The intention to distort the behaviour may not be presumed if the distortion results from factors external to the AI system which are outside of the control of the provider or the user , such as factors that may not be reasonably foreseen and mitigated by the provider or the deployer of the AI system. In any case, it is not necessary for the provider or the deployer to have the intention to cause the significant harm, as long as such harm results from the manipulative or exploitative AI-enabled practices. The prohibitions for such AI practices is complementary to the provisions contained in Directive 2005/29/EC, according to which unfair commercial practices are prohibited, irrespective of whether they carried out having recourse to AI systems or otherwise. In such setting, lawful commercial practices, for example in the field of advertising, that are in compliance with Union law should not in themselves be regarded as violating prohibition. Research for legitimate purposes in relation to such AI systems should not be stifled by the prohibition, if such research does not amount to use of the AI system in human-machine relations that exposes natural persons to harm and such research is carried out in accordance with recognised ethical standards for scientific research and on the basis of specific informed consent of the individuals that are exposed to them or, where applicable, of their legal guardian.