Frequently Asked Questions about the EU AI Act — AI Office

What is this document?

The European AI Office published a set of frequently asked questions and answers (FAQ) to help organisations understand the EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) and their obligations under it. The FAQ is available through the official European Commission website and through the AI Act Service Desk portal.

The AI Office was established within the European Commission as the central body for the enforcement of the AI Act at EU level, particularly for the oversight of general-purpose AI (GPAI) models.

Key points

What is the EU AI Act?

The EU AI Act is the world's first comprehensive regulation on artificial intelligence. It was adopted as Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council, published in the Official Journal of the EU on 12 July 2024, and entered into force on 1 August 2024.

The Regulation establishes harmonised rules for the placing on the market, putting into service, and use of AI systems in the EU, classifying them according to risk level.

Application deadlines

The AI Act follows a phased application:

Date	What comes into effect
2 February 2025	Prohibitions (Art. 5) and AI literacy obligation (Art. 4)
2 August 2025	Obligations for GPAI models (Art. 51-56) and designation of competent authorities
2 November 2026	Transparency obligations (Art. 50) — watermarking, content labelling (Omnibus VII extension)
2 December 2027	High-risk AI systems — standalone from Annex III (Omnibus VII extension)
2 August 2028	High-risk AI systems embedded in regulated products (Annex I) (Omnibus VII extension)

Role of the AI Office

The AI Office has several key functions:

• Enforcement of rules for general-purpose AI models
• Support for governance bodies in Member States
• Coordination of the development of guidelines and codes of practice
• Powers to evaluate GPAI models, request information from providers, and impose sanctions
• Management of the AI Act Service Desk portal for questions and answers

Who must comply with the AI Act?

The AI Act applies to:

• Providers — who develop or place AI systems or GPAI models on the market
• Deployers — who use AI systems under their authority
• Importers and distributors — who bring AI systems onto the EU market
• Product manufacturers — who integrate an AI system into their own product

Important: The AI Act also applies to actors outside the EU if their AI system is used on the EU market or if its outputs are used by persons in the EU.

How does this apply to organisations?

Steps for compliance

1. AI system inventory — Identify all AI systems you develop or use
2. Risk classification — Determine the risk category for each system (prohibited, high-risk, limited risk, minimal risk)
3. Gap analysis — Compare current status with AI Act requirements
4. Compliance plan — Define deadlines and steps for meeting obligations
5. AI literacy — Ensure staff has sufficient knowledge about AI systems (obligation since February 2025)

Penalties for non-compliance

The AI Act provides for significant penalties:

• Up to EUR 35 million or 7% of global revenue — for violation of prohibitions (Art. 5)
• Up to EUR 15 million or 3% of global revenue — for violation of other obligations
• Up to EUR 7.5 million or 1.5% of global revenue — for providing inaccurate information

Lower upper limits apply to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

AI Act Service Desk

The European Commission has established the AI Act Service Desk as a central point for questions about the interpretation and application of the AI Act. Organisations can submit specific questions and receive answers to help them understand their obligations.

Relevant articles of the EU AI Act

Article	Topic
Art. 4	AI literacy
Art. 5	Prohibited practices
Art. 64	AI Office
Art. 65	AI Board
Art. 99	Penalties
Art. 113	Entry into force and application

Source documents

• European Commission FAQ: Navigating the AI Act
• AI Act Service Desk: Frequently Asked Questions
• AI Office: European AI Office