Women In AI: Eva Maydell, European Parliament Member and Advisor to the EU AI Act

To shine a spotlight on deserving women academics and others in the AI domain, TechCrunch is launching a series of interviews focusing on remarkable women who have made significant contributions to the AI revolution. Throughout the year, we will publish several pieces highlighting key work that often goes unrecognized. Read more profiles here.

Eva Maydell is a Bulgarian politician and a member of the European Parliament. Making her debut in Parliament in 2014 at the age of 28, she became the youngest serving member at the time. In 2019, Maydell was re-elected to Parliament, where she continues to serve on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE).

Maydell served as the ITRE rapporteur for the EU AI Act, which proposes a legal framework to govern the sale and use of AI in the European Union. In this role, she was responsible for drafting a report on the proposal of the European Commission, reflecting the opinion of ITRE members. Maydell collaborated with external experts and stakeholders to draft compromise amendments for the Act.

Eva Maydell, member of European Parliament

Briefly, how did you get your start in AI? What attracted you to the field?

When I first became a member of the European Parliament, I was one of the few young female members of European Parliament (MEPs) that worked on tech issues. I’ve always been passionate about how Europe can better leverage the huge opportunities of tech innovation. The great thing about working on tech is that you’re always looking to the future. Having worked on cybersecurity, semiconductors and the digital agenda throughout my time in the Parliament, I knew I would find working on the AI Act incredibly interesting and be able to utilise my experience in those areas on this world first piece of regulation.

What work are you most proud of (in the AI field)?

I am proud of the work we have accomplished with the AI Act. Together, we have established a shared European vision for the future of this technology — one that prioritizes democracy, safety, and innovation in AI. While regulators and parliaments inherently focus on mitigating risks and preparing for worst-case scenarios, I have been a strong advocate for placing competitiveness at the forefront of our discussions. This has involved championing exemptions for research and open-source initiatives, advocating for an ambitious regulatory sandbox approach, and striving to align our efforts with international partners to minimize market frictions.