EU AI Act: Key Dates and Impact on AI Developers

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The official text of the EU AI Act has been published in the EU Journal. This is another landmark point for the EU AI Act, as these regulations are set to enter into force on 1st August 2024. If you haven’t started your preparations for this, you really need to start now. See the timeline for the different stages of the EU AI Act below.

The EU AI Act is a landmark piece of legislation and similar legislation is being drafted/enacted in various geographic regions around the world. The EU AI Act is considered the most extensive legal framework for AI developers, deployers, importers, etc and aims to ensure AI systems introduced or currently being used in the EU internal market (even if they are developed and located outside of the EU) are secure, compliant with existing and new laws on fundamental rights and align with EU principles.

The key dates are:

  • 2 February 2025: Prohibitions on Unacceptable Risk AI
  • 2 August 2025: Obligations come into effect for providers of general purpose AI models. Appointment of member state competent authorities. Annual Commission review of and possible legislative amendments to the list of prohibited AI.
  • 2 February 2026: Commission implements act on post market monitoring
  • 2 August 2026: Obligations go into effect for high-risk AI systems specifically listed in Annex III, including systems in biometrics, critical infrastructure, education, employment, access to essential public services, law enforcement, immigration and administration of justice. Member states to have implemented rules on penalties, including administrative fines. Member state authorities to have established at least one operational AI regulatory sandbox. Commission review, and possible amendment of, the list of high-risk AI systems.
  • 2 August 2027: Obligations go into effect for high-risk AI systems not prescribed in Annex III but intended to be used as a safety component of a product. Obligations go into effect for high-risk AI systems in which the AI itself is a product and the product is required to undergo a third-party conformity assessment under existing specific EU laws, for example, toys, radio equipment, in vitro diagnostic medical devices, civil aviation security and agricultural vehicles.
  • By End of 2030: Obligations go into effect for certain AI systems that are components of the large-scale information technology systems established by EU law in the areas of freedom, security and justice, such as the Schengen Information System.

Here is the link to the official text in the EU Journal publication.

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