Guide
EU AI Act Explained
A practical reference for EU AI startups navigating the EU AI Act compliance requirements. This guide covers the essentials — risk classification, key articles, and what you need to do.
What is the EU AI Act?
The EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) is the world's first comprehensive legal framework governing artificial intelligence. It entered into force on 1 August 2024 and will apply in full from 2 August 2026 — with some provisions applying earlier.
Risk-based approach
The Act classifies AI systems into four risk tiers: Prohibited (banned), High-risk (strict obligations), Limited risk (transparency requirements), and Minimal risk (no specific obligations). Your compliance burden depends entirely on your risk classification.
Who does it apply to?
The Act applies to providers of AI systems placed on the EU market, regardless of where the provider is established. It also applies to deployers (those putting AI systems into service) within the EU.
Key obligations for high-risk systems
High-risk AI systems must comply with: risk management (Art. 9), data governance (Art. 10), technical documentation (Art. 11), record-keeping (Art. 12), transparency (Art. 13), human oversight (Art. 14), and accuracy requirements (Art. 15).
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