Natural Language, Legal Hurdles: Navigating the Complexities in Natural Language Processing Development and Application

This article delves into the legal challenges faced in developing and deploying Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies, focusing particularly on the European Union’s legal framework, especially the DSM Directive, the InfoSoc Directive, and the Artificial Intelligence Act. It addresses the legal status and accessibility of language data and the development of NLP technologies under both contractual and exception-based models. The authors acknowledge the partial truth in the saying, “US innovates, China replicates, and the EU regulates”. Although Europe’s AI sector is a global competitor and its strict regulations ensure ethical standards and data protection, these regulations might not necessarily boost competitiveness. Such stringent regulations can introduce complexities that may inhibit innovation relative to regions with more lenient policies.