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Time Is Money

Aug 3, 2024 • 5 min read

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SpaceX Launches
EU AI Regulations

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SpaceX Launches:

On July 27, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center at 1:45 a.m. EST, carrying 23 Starlink satellites into orbit. This launch contributed to the development of the Starlink network, which aims to provide high-speed internet services to underserved and remote regions worldwide.
Following this, on July 28, SpaceX executed two consecutive Starlink missions. The first launch occurred at 1:09 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, successfully deploying 23 Starlink satellites. The second launch took place at 5:22 a.m. EST from Vandenberg Space Force Base, releasing 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with direct-to-cell capabilities. Most recently, on August 1, at 12:19 a.m. EST, SpaceX launched the Starlink Group 10-6 mission from Kennedy Space Center.
These launches followed a temporary pause in SpaceX's launch schedule due to an anomaly on July 11, 2024. During that mission, the upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket experienced a liquid oxygen leak, preventing a planned orbit-raising burn. As a result, the 20 Starlink satellites on board were deployed into an orbit that was too low, leading to their eventual reentry and loss. The issue was traced to a crack in a sense line for a pressure sensor in the rocket's upper stage.
SpaceX addressed this by removing the defective sense line and sensor on the second-stage engine for future launches. The investigation and corrective measures led to a brief suspension of launches until the problem was resolved. The recent successful missions mark SpaceX's return to regular operations and its ongoing efforts to expand the Starlink constellation to provide global broadband coverage.

EU AI Regulations:

The European Union's AI Act, which became effective on August 1, 2024, introduces a comprehensive regulatory framework for artificial intelligence applications across EU member states. The Act categorizes AI applications into three risk-based tiers, namely low/no risk, high risk, and limited risk. The majority of AI applications are deemed low or no risk and are thus exempt from regulation. High-risk applications, which include AI technologies like biometrics, facial recognition, and AI used in critical sectors such as healthcare and education, must adhere to stringent risk management and quality control measures.
These include pre-market assessments and registration in an EU database. Limited-risk applications, such as chatbots and tools capable of generating deepfakes, are required to meet transparency standards to ensure that users are not misled. The AI Act sets forth a staggered timeline for compliance, with full enforcement expected by mid-2026. The first compliance phase targets the prohibition of certain AI applications, such as the use of remote biometric identification by law enforcement in public spaces, which must be implemented within six months from the start of the act.
This structured timeline allows AI developers and users to adapt and ensure full compliance with the new regulations progressively. Penalties for non-compliance are tiered according to the severity of the infraction. Violations involving banned AI applications may result in fines up to 7% of a company’s global annual turnover. Other breaches, including failure to adhere to risk management and transparency requirements, could lead to fines up to 3%. Furthermore, providing incorrect information to regulators can incur penalties up to 1.5% of global turnover.
For developers of General Purpose AI (GPAI), the act imposes lighter transparency requirements on most, while those operating the most powerful models, specifically those using more than 10^25 FLOPs, must undertake rigorous risk assessments and mitigation measures. The enforcement of these rules is managed at the EU level, with ongoing consultations aimed at finalizing the Codes of Practice by April 2025. This regulatory approach aims to balance the promotion of technological innovation with the protection of public interests and individual rights.

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