The compliance deadlines for the European Union's (EU) new cross-sector legislation on artificial intelligence (AI) have been revised following a delay in publication, notwithstanding that the text is settled.
EU officials have recently confirmed to Osborne Clarke that the final step in this process – the publication of the definitive text in the EU's Official Journal – has been delayed until mid-July, with some commentators suggesting 12 July.
Late summer 2024
The AI Act will become binding law 20 days after it is published in the Official Journal; because of the publication delay, this is now expected to be in early August.
The delay will allow businesses more time to understand and digest upcoming compliance obligations as well as forthcoming guidance from the AI Office.
Revised compliance deadlines
Since the deadlines in the staggered implementation and compliance timetable flow from the date of publication in the Official Journal, they have each been pushed back by several weeks.
Early 2025
Prohibitions on unacceptable risks come into force.
General provisions on subject matter, scope, definitions and AI literacy come into force.
Late summer 2025The provisions on general-purpose AI come into force.
Provisions dealing with governance, conformity bodies, enforcement, confidentiality and penalties come into force.
Late summer 2026All other provisions come into force, including regulation of high-risk AI systems listed in (but not AI systems within the EU product safety regulation regime, listed in annex I).
Late summer 2027Regulation of high-risk systems within the EU product safety regulation regime (listed in annex I) come into force.
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