EU Finalizes the AI Act with Council Approval

Introduction

The European Union has finalized the AI Act, marking the first comprehensive, cross-sector AI law in a major jurisdiction. With Council approval in place, the regulation now moves into phased implementation across the EU.

The law introduces a risk-based approach that distinguishes between prohibited, high-risk, and lower-risk AI systems while setting compliance expectations for providers and deployers.

Key Points

• Final approval is complete. The Council’s vote locks in the AI Act’s legal adoption.
• Risk tiers define obligations. High-risk systems face strict requirements, while limited-risk tools focus on transparency.
• Prohibited uses are specified. Certain uses of AI are banned outright, such as some forms of social scoring.
• Implementation is phased. Different provisions apply on staggered timelines after entry into force.
• Enforcement is EU-wide. National authorities and EU bodies share supervisory roles.

How To

1) Map your systems to risk tiers

Inventory all AI systems and classify them against the AI Act’s prohibited, high-risk, limited-risk, and minimal-risk categories. This classification determines your most urgent compliance obligations.

2) Build a compliance roadmap

Create a roadmap that sequences high-risk requirements such as risk management, data governance, and human oversight before lower-risk actions. Assign owners and milestones so compliance work is measurable.

3) Strengthen documentation

Strengthen documentation with model cards, data lineage, and testing evidence that can support conformity assessments. Documentation is often the biggest gap for teams moving fast.

4) Train business owners

Train product and business owners on AI Act obligations so compliance is built into roadmap decisions. Procurement teams should understand vendor obligations as well.

5) Monitor regulatory guidance

Monitor guidance from EU bodies and national regulators, plus emerging harmonized standards. Update your controls as technical standards clarify enforcement expectations.

Conclusion

The AI Act signals a new global baseline for AI governance. Organizations that move early to classify systems and operationalize compliance will be better positioned as enforcement begins.