Italy has become the first European Union member state to pass a comprehensive law regulating artificial intelligence (AI), under the leadership of Giorgia Meloni’s government.
The legislation introduces strict limits on harmful AI use, bringing in prison terms of one to five years for generating deepfakes or other manipulative content that could cause damage.
Children under 14 will require parental consent to access AI, and stricter transparency and oversight rules apply across sectors such as healthcare, education, justice, and sports. The law safeguards AI-generated works, provided they result from authentic human effort, while allowing text and data mining only for non-copyrighted content or authorised scientific research.
The government has tasked the Agency for Digital Italy and the National Cybersecurity Agency with enforcement, while setting aside up to €1 billion to support domestic AI, cybersecurity, and telecommunications companies.
While the law aligns with the EU’s AI Act, critics note that Brussels’ broader approach to technology—from the Digital Services Act to massive EU-funded “disinformation” projects—risks censorship to curb free speech.
Brussels has implemented wide-ranging rules for online platforms, including the Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates content, and the Digital Markets Act, which targets competition. The DSA allows EU officials to demand removal or restriction of content deemed “illegal” or undesirable, fueling concerns over potential political censorship.
At the same time, Meloni emphasises an “Italian way” of governing AI, focused on a transparent and human-centric AI use that serves citizens.
