The AI Act, adopted at EU level after difficult negotiations, was published in the Official Journal in summer 2024. This Regulation is highly complex, while its significance and consequences might rival those of the GDPR.
It provides a first legal definition of “AI systems” and “General-Purpose AI models” and regulates them based on the level of risk that they generate. Its material provisions contain fairly technical requirements and mix transversal and sectoral regulatory approaches. The Regulation also sets an enforcement framework, with heavy sanctions that can be imposed, and an impressive number of enforcement authorities.
The Research Centre in Information, Law and Society (CRIDS) at the University of Namur is a welcome contributor to NESSI’s Thought Leadership. They have released a series of 11 videos (in English, with French subtitles) called “11 shades of AI Act”. The videos detail the major aspects of the Regulation in a clear and accessible way. They target developers of AI solutions, lawyers, public authorities, and businesses who seek to integrate AI tools within their operations.