Glossary
EU AI Act
The EU AI Act is the European Union's law regulating artificial intelligence. It sorts AI uses by risk: banning some, putting strict duties on high-risk systems, and requiring transparency for chatbots and AI-generated content. Its rules phase in between 2025 and 2027.
The AI Act is the EU’s attempt to do for artificial intelligence what the GDPR did for personal data: one rulebook for the whole Union. It entered into force in August 2024 and its obligations apply in stages through 2027.
The core idea is a risk ladder. A few practices are banned outright (think social scoring). High-risk systems, like AI used in hiring, credit or medical devices, face strict requirements. And for everyday tools the keyword is transparency: you must be told when you’re talking to an AI, and AI-generated or manipulated content like deepfakes must be disclosed. Makers of general-purpose models such as the ones behind ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini have their own documentation and transparency duties.
For most users and small businesses, the practical effect is reassuring rather than burdensome: clearer labels, more honest disclosure, more accountable vendors. If you’re choosing which assistant to rely on, our AI chooser compares the major options.
This page explains the law’s shape, not your obligations. For those, the European Commission’s AI Act pages and national authorities are the source.
Where you’ll meet this
- “AI-generated” labels appearing on images, video and audio across platforms
- Vendor compliance and transparency pages referencing the AI Act
- The European Commission’s AI Act portal and national implementation pages