A CLARE politician’s plan to ban AI ‘nudifier’ apps has been passed by the European Parliament.
Today, the European Parliament has voted by a broad majority to introduce a ban on AI “nudifier” tools, proposed by Independent MEP Michael McNamara.
The ban, which will come into effect on 2 December of this year, will outlaw AI systems designed to generate fake nude or intimate images of real people without their consent, closing what McNamara identified as a major gap in existing laws. The issue has become increasingly prominent following the rise of generative AI since 2022.
“Recent controversies involving AI systems, demonstrated there was no clear prohibition on the technology which was being used to generate highly realistic fake nude images of real people, of which the overwhelming majority of victims were women and girls. I pledged to change that when I was appointed as a Rapporteur in the Parliament. Following negotiations with the Council, the passing of this legislation will ensure that this abuse will no longer be allowed”, McNamara outlined.
The updated rules also extend compliance deadlines for certain high-risk AI systems, giving businesses and public authorities additional time to prepare while maintaining key safeguards as the use of AI becomes increasingly widespread in business sectors.
“Irish companies and SMEs, particularly in the tech and manufacturing sectors, needed certainty. They couldn’t comply with rules when the technical standards hadn’t even been written yet. We’ve fixed that, without removing the protections that make this legislation worth having”, MacNamara continued.
The MEP said the final agreement strikes a practical balance between encouraging innovation and protecting citizens from harmful uses of artificial intelligence.
A Labour Party TD for Clare from 2011 to 2016 and again from 2020 to 2024, McNamara served as Chairman of the Special Committee on the Covid-19 Response and campaigned for a No-No vote in the 2024 referendums on the Family and Care.
“As the capabilities of AI continue to expand at a startling rate, so too does the potential for both good and harm. It is our responsibility to ensure that these technologies are developed and deployed in a way that respects people’s rights and dignity”, McNamara concluded.
