WORLD / EUROPE By AFP Published: Apr 21, 2021 07:53 PM The EU was to unveil a plan on Wednesday to regulate the sprawling field of artificial intelligence, aimed at making Europe a leader in the new tech revolution while reassuring the public against surveillance abuses. "Whether it's precision farming in agriculture, more accurate medical diagnosis or safe autonomous driving - artificial intelligence will open up new worlds for us. But this world also needs rules," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her State-of-the-Union speech in September. "We want a set of rules that puts people at the center." The Commission, the EU's executive arm, has been preparing the proposal for over a year and a debate involving the European Parliament and 27 member states is to go on for months more before a definitive text is in force.