EU AI Act

Risk-based AI regulation with obligations assigned by role: prohibited practices, high-risk requirements, transparency duties and rules for general-purpose models.

At a glance

Who it applies to

Providers, deployers, importers and distributors of AI systems on the EU market or whose outputs are used in the EU.

Who enforces it

EU AI Office and national market surveillance authorities

When

In effect since 1 August 2024. Staged: prohibitions and AI literacy from 2 February 2025, general-purpose model obligations from 2 August 2025, Article 50 transparency from 2 August 2026, high-risk obligations from 2 December 2027 (Annex III) and 2 August 2028 (Annex I) after Regulation (EU) 2026/1744.

A practical guide to this law, with scenarios and flashcards, is being written. The summary above is the reference entry.

Recent developments

Nothing reported yet. Regulatory Watch lists new rules, enforcement and court decisions as they arrive.

Sources

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 EUR-Lex · Official text or regulator

Dates and status checked against these sources on 27 September 2026. This page explains the law for practitioners; it is not legal advice.