EU AI Act: Part 1 - A brief Overview

EU AI Act

The European Union AI Act, a groundbreaking framework for regulating artificial intelligence within the EU, was officially approved by the European Commission on May 21, 2024. This landmark legislative act will be published in the EU’s Official Journal in the coming days and will come into force 20 days after its publication.

Its primary aim is to enhance the EU internal market's functionality and promote the development of human-centric and trustworthy AI. By setting stringent standards, the Act ensures the protection of health, safety, and fundamental rights, such as democracy, the rule of law, and environmental protection, while fostering innovation.

Who Is Affected?

The regulation applies to:

• Providers placing AI systems or general-purpose AI models on the market in the Union, regardless of their location inside or outside the Union.
• Deployers of AI systems established or located within the Union.
• Providers and deployers of AI systems located in third countries if the AI system's output is used in the Union.
• Importers and distributors of AI systems.
• Product manufacturers placing an AI system on the market or putting it into service with their product under their own name or trademark.
• Authorised representatives of providers not established in the Union.
• Affected persons located in the Union.

Key Components

The EU AI Act comprises 13 chapters and 113 articles, detailing various aspects of AI regulation:

1.  General Provisions: Defines the scope, objectives, and key definitions.
2.  Prohibited AI Practices: Lists AI practices explicitly prohibited.
3.  High-Risk AI Systems: Sets requirements for high-risk AI, including assessments, standards, and registration.
4.  Transparency Obligations: Specifies transparency obligations for providers and deployers of certain AI systems.
5.  General-Purpose AI Models (GPAI): Defines classification rules, obligation of providers of GPAIs and GPAIs with systemic risk and codes of practice.
6.  Innovation Support: Describes measures to foster AI innovation, including regulatory sandboxes and small-scale trials.
7.  Governance: Establishes the European Artificial Intelligence Office, Board, and national authorities.
8.  EU Database for High-Risk AI: Details the creation and maintenance of a database for high-risk AI systems.
9.  Post-Market Monitoring: Covers monitoring, incident reporting, enforcement procedures, and market surveillance.
10.  Codes of Conduct and Guidelines: Promotes the development of voluntary codes of conduct and implementation guidelines.
11.  Delegation of Power: Empowers the Commission to adopt uniform acts and update regulations.
12.  Penalties: Describes penalties and enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance.
13.  Final Provisions: Addresses implementation, entry into force, and transitional provisions.

Compliance Timelines:

Reference:

EU AI Act

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as legal advice.