EU AI Act

In short

The EU AI Act is the European Union's law regulating artificial intelligence. It bans some uses outright, sets strict rules for high-risk systems, and places duties on makers of general-purpose models like GPT and Gemini.

Also called: Artificial Intelligence Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, AI Act
Topic: Law, policy and the UK
Level: Beginner
First described: Proposed by the European Commission in April 2021, adopted in 2024, published as Regulation (EU) 2024/1689.

The Act is Regulation (EU) 2024/1689. It entered into force on 1 August 2024 and applies in stages¹.

It sorts AI by risk. A short list of practices is banned, such as social scoring. "High-risk" systems, like AI used in hiring, education or policing, face strict requirements on data, testing and human oversight. Chatbots and AI-generated content carry transparency duties, so people know when they are dealing with AI. Makers of general-purpose AI models have their own set of obligations¹.

Its definition of an "AI system" closely follows the OECD's 2023 definition: a machine-based system that infers from its input how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations or decisions²³.

The timetable has moved. The bans and AI literacy rules applied from 2 February 2025, and general-purpose model rules from 2 August 2025¹. In July 2026 the Digital Omnibus, Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, delayed the main high-risk rules: stand-alone high-risk systems now from 2 December 2027, and AI built into regulated products from 2 August 2028⁴¹.

Example

A UK company selling CV-screening software to employers in France would count as providing a high-risk system under the Act, even though the company is based outside the EU.

Why it matters

It is the world's first broad AI law, and it applies to UK and US companies whenever their AI is used in the EU. Many firms build to its rules everywhere rather than run two versions.

Questions people ask

Does the EU AI Act apply in the UK?

Not as UK law, since the UK left the EU. But it applies to UK businesses whose AI systems are placed on the EU market or used in the EU¹.

When does the EU AI Act come into effect?

In stages. It entered into force on 1 August 2024. Bans applied from 2 February 2025, general-purpose model rules from 2 August 2025, and most transparency duties from 2 August 2026. After the 2026 Digital Omnibus, the main high-risk rules apply from 2 December 2027 and 2 August 2028¹⁴.

What AI is banned under the EU AI Act?

A short list of practices, including social scoring, AI that manipulates people in harmful ways, and most real-time facial recognition in public spaces by police, which is allowed only in narrow cases¹.

Related terms

Sources

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