Estonia plans to assign personal identification numbers to AI assistants that would give the bots legal rights and hold them accountable for actions taken on behalf of businesses, institutions and individuals, the prime minister said.
The European Union nation of 1.3 million will become the first country in the world to take such a step as governments seek to tackle the legal ramifications of the rapid growth of artificial intelligence.
"If we act quickly and wisely, Estonia can become a country that helps shape the international standard in this field,” Premier Kristen Michal said in a post on X, without giving details on when the programme would start.
Estonia is known for its advanced digital services and e-governance. Digital IDs are used in many situations, including getting married, scheduling doctor appointments and signing documents. This has nearly eliminated paperwork and the need for Estonians to physically wait in line for many routine functions.
The services are also offered to businesses globally as part of Estonia’s e-residency programme, which brings in millions in tax revenue for the government and will now be expanded to AI assistants.
The Baltic nation has pioneered the use of AI technology in public administration and has introduced AI chatbots in all of its schools through partnerships with OpenAI and other companies.
The prime minister, who has a dedicated AI advisory council staffed by tech entrepreneurs such as the chief executive officer of ride-hailing firm Bolt Technology OU, recently undertook a session on vibe coding and built a "PM Cockpit” on Anthropic’s agent Claude that pulled together key government priorities. – Bloomberg
