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European Union

EU Considers Delaying AI Act Provisions Amid Intense Lobbying

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The European Union is considering a one-year delay in implementing some provisions of the AI Act, which was adopted less than a year ago, following pressure from the United States, some EU states, and the tech sector. The delay would affect high-risk AI systems, which could have negative repercussions on people's safety or fundamental rights. The European Commission has ruled out postponing the implementation of rules on general purpose AI (GPAI) models and banned practices, but a simplification package, known as the Omnibus, may be presented in the autumn to simplify tech rules and reduce administrative burdens.

Key Takeaways:

  • The European Union is considering delaying the implementation of some provisions of the AI Act by one year, following lobbying from the United States, some EU states, and the tech sector.
  • The delay would affect high-risk AI systems, which could have negative repercussions on people's safety or fundamental rights.
  • The European Commission has ruled out postponing the implementation of rules on general purpose AI (GPAI) models, such as GPT-4 at the base of ChatGPT, and banned practices, such as facial recognition.
  • The Commission is considering using the simplification package, known as the Omnibus, to simplify tech rules and reduce administrative burdens.
  • EU ministers expressed support for simplifying digital rules, particularly the AI Act, during the Telecommunications Council.
  • Spain, which led the EU negotiations under its rotating presidency, stated its support for simplification, but not deregulation.

Statistics:

  • The AI Act will come into force two years after its entry into force, on August 2, 2026.
  • The rules on high-risk AI systems are expected to come into force on August 2, 2026.
  • The banned practices, such as facial recognition, have been in place since February 2, 2025.
  • The rules on general purpose AI (GPAI) models, such as GPT-4 at the base of ChatGPT, will come into force on August 2, 2025.
  • The European Commission plans to present the simplification package, known as the Omnibus, in the autumn.

Sources:

  • Sources within the European Commission
  • Vice-president of the European Commission Henna Virkkunen
  • EU ministers during the Telecommunications Council
  • Spain under its rotating presidency
  • The European Union Official Journal (no specific date mentioned)
  • Telecommunications Council (no specific date mentioned)

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