AI Act
The Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence - AI Act) is the first-ever legal framework on AI, which lays the foundations for the regulation of AI in the European Union, by establishing a common set of rules for AI, next to implementation policies and governance.
The aim of the new rules is to foster trustworthy AI in Europe (and beyond), by ensuring that AI systems respect fundamental rights, safety, and ethical principles guaranteed at EU level, and at the same time to strengthen uptake, investment and innovation in AI across the EU.
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 and the Coordinated Plan on AI. Together, these measures guarantee the safety and fundamental rights of people and businesses when it comes to AI. As such, the AI Act is designed to address risks posed by powerful and impactful AI models in face of EU policies and rights.
At the same time, it provides AI developers and deployers with clear requirements and obligations regarding specific uses of AI. The regulation is meant to be a tool to reduce administrative and financial burdens for business, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), when it comes to the production and commercialization of products and services.