The EU (European Parliament, Member States and European Commission) reached a political agreement on the content of the European AI Regulation, also known as the AI Act, which is the first AI legislation of its kind in late 2023. Meanwhile, the final text is known to have been adopted by the European Parliament. The AI Regulation was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on July 12, 2024 and will enter into force on August 1, 2024.
What does the regulation mean for businesses and AI developers?
In cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Dutch AI Coalition (NL AIC) is organizing a roadshow on the AI Regulation together with the regional AI hubs. The purpose of this roadshow is to inform AI developers and AI users about the AI Regulation, to discuss its impact and to share best practices on regulation and implementation. Presentations will take place from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and there will also be ample opportunity to interact with each other to exchange experiences and share knowledge.
Planning roadshow AI regulation, kickoff on Sept. 12.
The first roadshow will take place on September 12, 2024 from the AI hub Midden-Nederland in Utrecht during the Crossroads festival. Please reserve this date in your calendar, further information will follow. The planning of the roadshows from the other AI hubs is currently being prepared. We will keep you informed via our website and socials.
What is the purpose of the AI regulation?
The purpose of the law is to promote the development and use of secure and reliable AI systems in the European Union (EU) internal market by both private and public parties. It also aims to protect the fundamental rights of EU citizens and encourage innovation in AI in Europe. For example, risks to people's fundamental rights must first be assessed before a high-risk AI system can be introduced. Finally, European rules ensure a level playing field; non-European providers of AI products and services must also comply with them if they want to offer their products in the EU.
The AI regulation has different levels of risk
The AI regulation assumes different levels of risk. For unacceptable risk, such as behavioral manipulation, AI systems will be banned. High-risk systems will be subject to requirements and obligations as a condition of access to the EU market. Among other things, high-risk AI systems must be registered in an EU database. Furthermore, transparency requirements will apply to AI that humans interact with, such as chatbots. There are also specific rules for large AI models that can be used for different purposes. No additional requirements and obligations apply to AI systems that fall outside the above risk categories.
Enforcement
National regulators will monitor compliance with bans, requirements for high-risk AI systems and transparency requirements. In addition, a new regulator, the European AI Bureau, is being established at the European level. This is a new supervisory authority for supervision and enforcement of general purpose AI models and will also play a key role in the implementation of the AI Regulation and broader AI policies. See here for more information.
Planning implementation of AI regulation
From its entry into force on Aug. 1, 2024, the AI regulation will apply in stages:
| February 2025 | Provisions on prohibited AI |
| August 2025 | Requirements for general purpose AI models. |
| August 2026 | Requirements for high-risk AI applications |
| August 2027 | Requirements for AI incorporated into regulated products (high-risk AI products). This makes the AI regulation applicable to all newly developed or significantly modified AI. |
| January 2031 | Requirements for large-scale EU-designated IT systems apply. Requirements for high-risk AI also become applicable for systems used by governments and already in operation before August 2026. |
Learn more
Interested in learning more about the AI Regulation? Visit the Entrepreneurs' Square website, Digital Government or this EU page. These are regularly updated. If you are interested in more information on human-centered AI, we invite you to consult the information of the NL AIC working group. Follow this website and our socials for the schedule of roadshows at the AI hubs.
