EU AI Act essentials.
Start here. What the Regulation covers, who it binds, when each obligation applies, and what non-compliance costs. The prohibitions in Article 5 have applied since 2 February 2025 and the GPAI obligations since 2 August 2025; the bulk of the high-risk regime follows on 2 August 2026. These pages explain scope, timing and the practical first steps without assuming you have read the recitals.
35 guides
EU AI Act
33 guidesSection overview
The EU AI Act: Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 Explained (2026)
The EU AI Act explained: risk tiers under Article 5, Article 6 and Annex III, the separate GPAI chapter, provider and deployer roles, and the phased timeline to 2028.
- A Customer Asked About the EU AI Act — How to RespondA B2B prospect asked if you're EU AI Act compliant. Learn how to decode what they're asking, determine your role, and respond honestly by risk tier.
- Agentic AI and the EU AI Act: Classification GuideAgentic AI is not a risk category under the EU Act. Classification follows use case and Annex III. Covers Art 14 oversight, GPAI roles, and 2027 deadlines.
- Does the EU AI Act Apply to Me? Scope & RolesArticle 2 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 covers any provider, deployer, importer or distributor placing or using AI in the EU. Find out if you are in scope.
- Does the EU AI Act Apply to Non-EU Companies?How the EU AI Act reaches non-EU companies under Article 2(1)(c), the authorised representative requirement under Article 22, and what to do first.
- EU AI Act "Stop the Clock" Meaning (2026)"Stop the clock" was the rejected standards-contingent EU AI Act delay. Learn what it meant, why it failed, and how it differs from the fixed-date deferral.
- EU AI Act Deadlines by Obligation: What to Do, and WhenEU AI Act deadlines by obligation: Art 4/5 (Feb 2025), GPAI Art 53 (Aug 2025), Art 50 (Aug 2026), high-risk Annex III (Dec 2027), Annex I (Aug 2028).
- EU AI Act Deepfake Labelling Requirements (Art 50)Article 50 EU AI Act deepfake labelling: deployers disclose AI manipulation, providers mark outputs machine-readably. Content-marking moves to 2 December 2026.
- EU AI Act Digital Omnibus: 2027 Deferral ExplainedThe EU AI Act Digital Omnibus (May 2026) defers high-risk deadlines to Dec 2027 and Aug 2028. Article 5, GPAI, and Art 50 obligations are unchanged.
- EU AI Act for SMEs: The Practical 2025–2028 GuideEU AI Act compliance for SMEs: the real deadlines (Dec 2027 / Aug 2028), penalties, the SME fine cap, and a six-step roadmap to high-risk readiness.
- EU AI Act Penalties: What Non-Compliance Actually CostsEU AI Act penalties: three fine tiers (€35M/7%, €15M/3%, €7.5M/1%), SME cap worked example, Art 99(7) factors, and who enforces. In force from 2 Aug 2025.
- EU AI Act Readiness Assessment: 6-Step Method (2026)EU AI Act readiness assessment in 6 steps: register, classify, gap-check, score. Article 5, GPAI and Article 4 live now; Annex III shifts to 2 December 2027.
- EU AI Act Regulatory Sandboxes (Articles 57–59)EU AI Act regulatory sandboxes (Articles 57–59): each member state runs one by 2 August 2026, with priority, free access for SMEs and start-ups.
- EU AI Act Summary: Risk Tiers, Dates & PenaltiesThe EU AI Act in five minutes: the four risk tiers, key dates (high-risk from Dec 2027), the penalty tiers, who it covers, and the five steps to take now.
- EU AI Act Timeline: All Six Milestones and DeadlinesThe canonical EU AI Act timeline: six dates from 1 Aug 2024 to 2 Aug 2028, each article, and what it means. Includes the Dec 2027 Digital Omnibus deferral.
- Extraterritorial Scope of the EU AI ActThe EU AI Act reaches non-EU companies: it applies if you place AI on the EU market, or if your system's output is used in the EU — wherever you are based.
- Foundation Model (GPAI) Provider Obligations: EU AI ActGPAI providers face Art 53 duties from 2 Aug 2025. Systemic-risk (>10²⁵ FLOPs) adds Art 55. Open-source rules, Art 54 reps, and Art 101 fines explained.
- Governing AI at Enterprise Scale Under the EU AI ActGovern dozens of high-risk AI systems at scale: AI inventory, federated RACI, Article 17 QMS, vendor due diligence, and 2 Dec 2027 / 2 Aug 2028 deadlines.
- GPAI Compliance Under the EU AI Act: Provider vs DownstreamGPAI model obligations apply from 2 Aug 2025. Art 53 baseline, Art 55 systemic risk, and what downstream providers owe instead. Clear split by role.
- How EU AI Act Enforcement Works: From Inquiry to FineEU AI Act enforcement: who investigates, what powers they hold, and when each obligation phase becomes sanctionable. NCAs, MSAs, AI Office explained.
- How Long Does EU AI Act Compliance Take?EU AI Act compliance takes days for minimal-risk deployers, weeks for Article 50 cases, and 4–9 months for high-risk providers. Plan back from 2 Dec 2027.
- How to Prove EU AI Act Compliance: The Evidence StackWhat artifacts auditors and authorities actually ask for. Map every high-risk obligation to its evidence — from the Article 6 classification record to the Annex IV technical file.
- Is the EU AI Act Delayed? 2026 StatusPartly. The Digital Omnibus moved high-risk Annex III to 2 December 2027. Article 5 bans and GPAI rules are unchanged.
- Market Surveillance Under the EU AI ActHow national market-surveillance authorities investigate AI systems under the EU AI Act: information requests, corrective action, Article 99 fines.
- Open-Source AI and the EU AI Act: Where the Exemptions StopHow the EU AI Act treats open-source AI: two distinct carve-outs under Article 2 and Article 53(2), where they stop, and what open-source cannot exempt.
- Open-Source AI: Where the EU AI Act Exemptions StopEU AI Act open-source exemptions: what they cover, six hard limits that remove the relief, and a decision checklist. Updated for Digital Omnibus 2026.
- Real-World Testing of High-Risk AI (Article 60, EU AI Act)Real-world testing of high-risk AI under Article 60: a testing plan, registration, a 6-month cap, oversight, and Article 61 informed consent.
- Startups and the EU AI Act: Reliefs, Sandboxes, Fine CapsEU AI Act startup provisions: sandboxes (Arts 57–59), reduced fees, Art 99(6) fine cap, simplified docs. What still applies. Deadline 2 Dec 2027.
- The SaaS Founder's Guide to the EU AI ActProvider vs deployer, Art 25 trap, Annex III triage, Art 50 from Aug 2026, high-risk obligations by Dec 2027. 30-day checklist for SaaS founders.
- What Happens If You Ignore the EU AI Act?Fines are the last step, not the first. The real risks: market withdrawal, lost deals, and a rushed 2027 documentation sprint. Here is the full picture.
- What Is the EU AI Act? Plain-English Guide for SMEsThe EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) explained for SMEs: the four risk tiers, deadlines (Dec 2027 / Aug 2028), penalties, and what to do now.
- Where to Start With the EU AI Act: First-Steps GuideNew to EU AI Act compliance? A calm, sequenced week-one plan: build your AI inventory, screen Article 5 prohibitions, classify systems, confirm your role.
- Who Enforces the EU AI Act?The EU AI Act is enforced by national authorities for AI systems and the European AI Office for GPAI models. Penalties run up to €35M or 7%.
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