European Union: First Rules of the Artificial Intelligence Act Are Now Applicable

Feb. 7, 2025 — As of Sunday, February, 2, 2025, the first rules under the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) started to apply in the European Union (EU). This includes the AI system definition, AI literacy, as well as a very limited number of prohibited AI use cases outlined in the AI Act that pose unacceptable risks in the EU.

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To facilitate innovation in AI, the European Commission will publish guidelines on AI system definition. This aims to assist the industry in determining whether a software system constitutes an AI system.

The Commission will also release a living repository of AI literacy practices gathered from AI systems’ providers and deployers. This will encourage learning and exchange among them while ensuring that users develop the necessary skills and understanding to effectively use AI technologies.

To help ensure compliance with the AI Act, the Commission will publish guidelines on the prohibited AI practices that are posing unacceptable risks to citizens’ safety and fundamental rights.

These guidelines will explain the legal concepts and provide practical use cases, based on stakeholder input. They are not binding and will be updated as necessary. The Commission has launched several initiatives to promote innovation in AI, from the AI innovation package supporting startups and SMEs to the upcoming AI Factories which will provide access to the massive computing power that start-ups, industry and researchers need to develop their AI models and systems.

About the AI Act

The AI Act is the first-ever legal framework on AI, which addresses the risks of AI and positions Europe to play a leading role globally. The AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 laying down harmonized rules on artificial intelligence) is the first-ever comprehensive legal framework on AI worldwide. The aim of the rules is to foster trustworthy AI in Europe.

The AI Act sets out a clear set of risk-based rules for AI developers and deployers regarding specific uses of AI. The AI Act is part of a wider package of policy measures to support the development of trustworthy AI, which also includes the AI Innovation Package, the launch of AI Factories and the Coordinated Plan on AI. Together, these measures guarantee safety, fundamental rights and human-centric AI, and strengthen uptake, investment and innovation in AI across the EU.

To facilitate the transition to the new regulatory framework, the Commission has launched the AI Pact, a voluntary initiative that seeks to support the future implementation, engage with stakeholders and invite AI providers and deployers from Europe and beyond to comply with the key obligations of the AI Act ahead of time.

Source: European Commission