A movement is growing worldwide that focuses on regulating artificial intelligence (AI).

European lawmakers have proposed new laws that could impose severe restrictions on AI. The legislation is moving forward, even though a recent study found that the regulations could cost the EU economy about $36 billion over the next five years. Some observers argue that similar measures are needed in the U.S. as well.

“As our society transitions to a digitally driven environment, unregulated AI could lead to abuses, potentially undermining our rights to privacy and data protection,” Joseph Nwankpa, a professor of information systems at Miami University in Ohio, told Lifewire in an email interview.

“Moreover, poorly regulated AI could reinforce inherent societal biases by exploiting imbalances in access to information across different segments of our society.”