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EU Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689)

The European Union's horizontal AI regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), adopted 13 June 2024, in force 1 August 2024, applying in phases (prohibited practices and AI literacy from 2 Feb 2025; general-purpose AI model obligations from 2 Aug 2025; most high-risk provisions from 2 Aug 2026; high-risk AI embedded in regulated products from 2 Aug 2027). It is genuinely cross-cutting across all physical-AI categories: physical robots are reached as high-risk AI both via Annex III (standalone high-risk uses such as biometrics) and via Annex I (AI as a safety component of products under existing EU harmonisation law - bridging to the Machinery Regulation for robots, to motor-vehicle type-approval for autonomous cars and trucks, and to the EASA/UAS framework for drones), plus the general-purpose-AI model rules that apply regardless of embodiment. (formFactors left empty: genuinely applies to every category.) A proposed Digital Omnibus (2025-2026) may postpone some high-risk deadlines; treated here as not-yet-settled.

Jurisdiction: European Union · Effective 2024-08-01

Machine-readable surfaces

Sources (11)

  1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj/eng
  2. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ%3AL_202401689
  3. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202401689
  4. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai
  5. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/faqs/navigating-ai-act
  6. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20230601STO93804/eu-ai-act-first-regulation-on-artificial-intelligence
  7. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/05/21/artificial-intelligence-ai-act-council-gives-final-green-light-to-the-first-worldwide-rules-on-ai/
  8. https://www.whitecase.com/insight-alert/long-awaited-eu-ai-act-becomes-law-after-publication-eus-official-journal
  9. https://www.bakermckenzie.com/en/insight/publications/resources/product-risk-radar-articles/eu-regulation-on-ai
  10. https://www.addleshawgoddard.com/en/insights/insights-briefings/2026/technology/eu-ai-act-draft-commission-guidelines-classification-high-risk-ai-systems/
  11. https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/implementation-timeline/

Status history

  • In effect · 2024-08-01 · editor:DEPLOY content-agent (Sprint 5c-1 EU/Europe regs)

    EU AI Act (Reg (EU) 2024/1689) in force since Aug 1, 2024; phased application through 2027. Cross-cutting across all physical-AI categories.

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