Italy fast-tracks AI and facial recognition decree amid opposition outcry

The Italian government has accelerated the process in the Senate's European Policies Committee to approve a legislative decree that harmonizes national legislation with European rules on artificial intelligence and facial recognition for police use.

The decree permits the use of AI-powered video surveillance systems to identify individuals suspected of committing crimes. Data retention is capped at seven days for local recordings, with immutable logs maintained for five years. This rapid advancement has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties.

The Democratic Party (PD) and the Five Star Movement (M5s) have decried the government's swift action as a "dangerous blitz" that compromises fundamental rights and freedoms. Senator Filippo Sensi of the PD described the process as "unqualifiable" and a "dangerous step forward" for dragnet facial recognition. He argued that the commission was used to stifle debate and advance a "police state."

However, Senator Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata of Fratelli d'Italia, who chairs the EU Policies Committee, defended the decree. He stated that the draft legislation aligns with the European AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) and parliamentary mandates. Terzi emphasized that the decree incorporates safeguards for fundamental liberties, respecting the EU's AI Act, the Italian Constitution, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights. Principles such as proportionality, non-discrimination, human oversight, and transparency are highlighted as being embedded within the decree's framework.

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