⏸️ Pause the AI Act? No way.

If the GDPR moved forward despite protests, why would the EU back down now on AI regulation?

When I heard about the proposal to “pause” the implementation of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, I actually checked the calendar to see if it was April Fool’s Day. It wasn’t … it was the Prime Minister of Sweden suggesting that the EU hit the brakes just as it’s about to roll out the AI Act… odd.

Here’s the link so you can draw your own conclusions: https://www.politico.eu/article/swedish-pm-calls-to-pause-eu-ai-rules/

According to him, the law is “confusing” and lacks common technical standards, so it would be better to postpone it… with no clear deadline, of course. He also argues that pushing forward now would make Europe fall behind technologically. Seriously?

And he’s not alone. A tech lobby is already echoing the call, claiming that a “rushed” implementation would jeopardize Europe’s AI ambitions, in other words, asking the EU not to ruin the innovation party. Funny how until yesterday the talk was all about “trustworthy AI” and the need for clear rules; now suddenly it’s “wait, we’re not ready!”

Is the AI Act perfect? No. So improve a few points, create regulatory sandboxes, extend some deadlines.

You know what it reminded me of? The good old GDPR, back in 2018. That regulation was called complex, expensive, “unworkable,” and people predicted a digital apocalypse. This was all heavily debated in 2016 and 2017. And what if, at that time, the EU had backed off and paused the GDPR “because it was too hard”? Today, we’d be entirely at the mercy of Big Tech’s data policies. Instead, the EU stood its ground, and the GDPR became a global benchmark. It proved that protecting citizens’ rights doesn’t kill innovation. Now, privacy laws exist in hundreds of countries, and people actually care about their data.

That’s why I’m skeptical of these calls to pause “out of caution.” The rhetoric around “safe AI” sounds more like fear of losing ground in the global race. “Regulation is great, as long as it applies to others”, that’s the real message. The US follows light voluntary guidelines, China adopts state control, while Europe is striving for a balance between rights and transparency. Hitting pause now, whether due to pressure or convenience, would be a risky move , one that might never be reversed.

The EU’s regulatory ambition is an asset, not a burden. Yes, it’s hard work and there are real challenges. But leading in trustworthy innovation takes perseverance, not slamming on the brakes at the first sign of trouble. If the GDPR had been paused, we wouldn’t have today’s gold standard for data protection.

Pausing the AI Act out of fear of falling behind is giving in to an unfounded panic, and it risks leaving Europe behind for good, including the erosion of trust from both people and businesses in a landscape without legal certainty. A few years from now, those asking for a timeout today will be applauding the EU for having chosen the right path in 2025.