The European Commission is carrying out risk assessments and considering export controls for "critical technology areas", including artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor technologies.

On October 3, EU officials identified four areas that need to be assessed for technology risk and risk of technology leakage. These four categories include AI, advanced semiconductor technologies, quantum technologies and biotechnologies.

According to the announcement, these technologies were selected based on their transformative qualities, the risk of civil or military fusion, and the risk of the technology being used to violate human rights.

Thierry Breton, internal market commissioner at the EU Commission, described the move as an important step for EU "resilience".

Risk assessments will be made by the end of the year. Any conclusions or initiatives based on risk assessments will be presented in spring 2024.

The Commission says the next steps include cooperating with the 27 Member States to initiate collective assessments of the areas in question.

This development comes after the EU Commission launched the Joint Communication on the European Economic Security Strategy on 20 June.

The USA is also intensifying its efforts to evaluate the export risks of its own technology in similar sectors. In particular, it banned the export of high-AI semiconductor chips to China.

Many lawmakers in the United States have also supported legislation that would require companies to report investment in Chinese technologies.

Decisions on this issue from the United States have led countries abroad to consider their own action plans regarding AI technologies.