The EU AI Act commencement date was 2 August 2024. The Act has taken effect and will continue to be implemented in a phased approach. Now that the EU AI Act has been published in the Official Journal (12 July 2024), organisations must comply with the first phase of the EU AI Act.

EU AI Act commencement date timeline

The EU AI Act will be implemented in stages. Take note of these key dates:

  • 2 August 2024: The EU AI Act takes effect.
  • 2 February 2025: The general provisions, prohibitions on unacceptable risk AI, and prohibited practices will come into effect. This includes banning AI that manipulates people, social scoring systems, and biometric categorisation.
  • 2 May 2025: The codes of practice for General Purpose AI (GPAI) will be finalised. These will be developed with input from member states and overseen by the AI Office.
  • 2 August 2025: Twelve months after the Act starts additional rules will apply. This includes those for notifying authorities and governance, as well as rules for general-purpose AI and penalties (excluding fines for general-purpose AI providers). 
  • 2 February 2026:  The Commission will issue guidelines specifying the practical implementation of post-market monitoring.
  • 2 August 2026: The whole Act will be applicable, except for Article 6(1) and corresponding obligations (one of the categories of high-risk AI systems). By this date, each member state should also have at least one regulatory sandbox operational, which allows for testing AI systems under supervision​.
  • 2 August 2027: All articles of the Act will apply. Additional rules will apply to certain AI systems already regulated by EU law, such as those used in medical devices, industrial machinery, toys, cars, and as safety components of regulated products.

The commencement date raises some important questions. We have answered them below to help you comply following the commencement of the EU AI Act.

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How will the EU AI Act be implemented?

The AI Act will be implemented in phases after the commencement date. The Act is expected to be mostly implemented 24 months after the commencement date. You have some time to comply with the EU AI Act which allows you to take a phased approach to AI compliance.

Who is affected by the EU AI Act commencement date?

The EU AI Act applies to all AI systems used in the EU. AI developers, providers, and operators who are not in the EU will need to comply with the Act if their users are in the EU.

What should you be doing now?

You should complete an AI impact assessment to get a high-level overview of the role of AI in your organisation. Once you understand the role and impact of AI in your organisation, you can start taking steps to develop and implement an AI governance strategy.

Familiarise yourself with the text of the EU AI Act and understand key concepts like the risk-based approach to AI governance.

Actions to take