General-Purpose AI regulation: The European Parliament and the AI Act

This paper explores how the European Parliament (EP) influence and actually impacted the regulatory treatment of general-purpose AI (GPAI) models and systems in the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. It analyses how EP actors formed their preferences and what discursive strategies they used to propagate stronger obligations, transparency mechanisms for GPAI providers and measures against discriminatory outcomes through the EP’s proposed amendments at first reading in June 2023. The paper employs a sequential mixed-methods design combining document analysis with a structured survey of stakeholders involved in the AI Act process and semi-structured interviews with selected MEPs, EP staff, EU institutions representatives and civil society representatives. Preliminary findings indicate that the EP successfully negotiated the definition of GPAI and the inclusion of new provisions related to general-purpose AI systems. The EP advocated for further rules on documentation, risk management, and transparency obligations for GPAI providers. EP actors framed GPAI as a systemic risk requiring upstream accountability, drawing on civil society input and previous resolutions on digital ethics. The EP’s insistence on horizontal obligations for GPAI providers marked a significant expansion of the Act’s scope and reflected broader concerns about foundation models and algorithmic opacity. The EP’s proactive stance on GPAI regulation demonstrates its capacity to shape high-stakes digital legislation, particularly in areas of emerging technological complexity.