The EU AI Act Newsletter

Enforcement powers, transparency rules, and national implementation as the 2 August deadline approaches.
Legislative Process
Targeted consultation on the draft guidelines for the classification of high-risk artificial intelligence systems: The European Commission has opened a targeted consultation, running until 23 June 2026, to gather feedback on the clarity of its draft guidelines and the usefulness of the accompanying examples for classifying high-risk AI systems under the AI Act. The guidelines are designed to assist providers, deployers and other relevant actors in determining whether a given AI system falls within the high-risk category, offering clarifications on the relevant provisions of the AI Act alongside practical examples that illustrate how classification should be approached across different areas and use cases. The Commission is welcoming input from AI providers and developers, organisations using AI systems, public authorities, researchers, civil society organisations, supervisory bodies and members of the public.
FAQ on general-purpose AI models: The European Commission's AI Office has published a frequently asked questions page on general-purpose AI (GPAI) models, compiled from queries received during the AI Pact webinars and stakeholder submissions. The FAQ covers a broad range of topics, including how GPAI models and systems are defined, when systemic [...]
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Outline:
(00:35) Legislative Process
(03:42) Analyses
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First published:

June 1st, 2026


Source:

https://artificialintelligenceact.substack.com/p/the-eu-ai-act-newsletter-103-the

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Digital Omnibus deal struck, transparency guidelines out for consultation, and whether the AI Act is ready for agents.
Legislative Process
EU agrees to simplify AI rules to boost innovation and ban ‘nudification’ apps to protect citizens: The European Commission welcomes the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on the Digital Omnibus on AI. Under the deal, rules for high-risk AI systems will apply from 2 December 2027. Rules for systems embedded in products like lifts or toys will apply from 2 August 2028. In addition, the agreement prohibits AI systems generating non-consensual sexually explicit content or child sexual abuse material, including ‘nudification’ apps. For businesses, certain SME privileges are extended to small mid-caps, the interplay with the Machinery Regulation is clarified, and access to regulatory sandboxes, including an EU-level one, is broadened. The AI Office's enforcement powers are also strengthened, particularly over general-purpose models and systems embedded in very large online platforms and search engines. The Parliament and Council must now formally adopt the agreement, after which it will enter into force three days following publication in the Official Journal.
Commission opens consultation on draft guidelines for AI transparency obligations: The [...]
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Outline:
(00:37) Legislative Process
(04:30) Analyses
(07:32) Discussion about this post
(07:36) Ready for more?
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First published:

May 20th, 2026


Source:

https://artificialintelligenceact.substack.com/p/the-eu-ai-act-newsletter-102-pressure

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Talks on delaying the AI Act collapse over industrial AI, Merz diverges from his coalition partner, and Parliament invites Anthropic to a hearing on the Mythos model.
Legislative Process
EU legislators fail to clinch deal to delay AI law: Pieter Haeck from POLITICO describes how EU legislators failed to agree on a rollback of the bloc's AI rules, with requirements for machinery and medical devices emerging as the main sticking point. After hours of talks, negotiators from the European Parliament and EU countries parted ways without a deal that would have delayed a key part of the AI Act until December 2027 and banned AI nudification apps, and no date has been set to resume discussions. Because new rules for high-risk AI applications are due to apply this August, the collapse tightens the timeline to avoid legal uncertainty. At the heart of the dispute, the centre-right in Parliament, backed by Germany, is pushing to let products such as machinery and medical devices comply with sectoral law rather than the AI Act, a move opposed by several member states and the centre-left.
Merz's coalition partner opposed his push to cut EU's AI rules: Maximilian Henning, reporting for Euractiv, reveals [...]
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Outline:
(00:36) Legislative Process
(04:04) Analyses
(08:06) Tools & Resources
(08:57) Discussion about this post
(09:00) Ready for more?
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First published:

May 4th, 2026


Source:

https://artificialintelligenceact.substack.com/p/the-eu-ai-act-newsletter-101-trilogue

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Celebrating 100 editions of the newsletter with Virkkunen's vision for the AI Continent, the Omnibus endgame, and Europe's frontier AI access question.
This is the 100th edition of the newsletter. To mark the occasion, I've opened an Ask Me Anything in the Substack chat – questions, reflections and predictions all welcome.
Legislative Process
Building AI the European way: Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, reflects on the first year of the Commission's AI Continent Action Plan, which was built around five pillars: infrastructure, data, skills, adoption and simplification. On the infrastructure side, 19 AI Factories have been deployed across European supercomputers, whilst the proposed AI Gigafactories concept has already attracted 76 expressions of interest spanning 16 Member States. Turning to adoption, €1 billion in funding calls has been mobilised for strategic sectors, alongside targeted initiatives such as AI-powered cancer and cardiovascular screening centres and a Grand Challenge competition to develop sovereign European AI models. Meanwhile, the AI Omnibus, delivered in November, seeks to adjust the the AI Act's timeline and address implementation challenges. Virkkunen frames these together as a distinctly European approach that manages risk whilst encouraging innovation. Finally, she announces a forthcoming tech [...]
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Outline:
(00:49) Legislative Process
(02:06) Analyses
(07:29) Whats Next?
(08:30) Discussion about this post
(08:34) Ready for more?
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First published:

April 20th, 2026


Source:

https://artificialintelligenceact.substack.com/p/the-eu-ai-act-newsletter-100-the

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Beyond the "US innovates, Europe regulates" divide..
Legislative Process
MEPs agree on proposals to simplify AI rules: The European Parliament adopted its position on an AI Act simplification proposal with 569 votes in favour, 45 against and 23 abstentions. Notably, the proposal delays rules for high-risk AI systems to allow implementation guidance and standards preparation. MEPs introduce fixed application dates: 2 December 2027 for high-risk systems and 2 August 2028 for systems covered by EU sectoral safety legislation. Additionally, MEPs grant providers until 2 November 2026 for watermarking compliance. They’re introducing a ban on “nudifier” systems that create or manipulate sexually explicit images of identifiable people without consent. This excludes systems with effective safeguards. Furthermore, MEPs permit personal data processing to detect and correct biases in AI system provided strict necessity safeguards are in place. They back extending SME support measures to small mid-cap enterprises. MEPs argue that AI Act obligations can be less stringent for products already regulated under sectoral laws. Following the Parliament's adoption, negotiations with the Council on the law's final form can now begin.
Analyses
Beyond “US Innovates, Europe Regulates”: Julia Tréhu, Program Manager and Fellow, and Adrienne Goldstein, Senior Program Coordinator, at the [...]
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Outline:
(00:30) Legislative Process
(01:56) Analyses
(08:37) Discussion about this post
(08:41) Ready for more?
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First published:

April 7th, 2026


Source:

https://artificialintelligenceact.substack.com/p/the-eu-ai-act-newsletter-99-bridging

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