What is the EU AI Act?

The EU AI Act is the first comprehensive AI law. It regulates AI by risk level - banning unacceptable uses, heavily regulating high-risk systems, requiring transparency for limited-risk AI, and leaving minimal-risk AI largely free.

Who does the EU AI Act apply to?

It applies to providers and deployers of AI systems placed on or used in the EU market, including organisations based outside the EU.

What are the EU AI Act penalties?

Up to EUR 35 million or 7% of global annual turnover for prohibited practices, and up to EUR 15 million or 3% for other obligations.

CSOAI - the 5-minute version

The EU AI Act, explained

The first comprehensive AI law, in plain English. It sorts AI into four risk tiers and regulates each differently. Here is the whole thing in five minutes.

You are interacting with an AI system.

The embedded 'Ask your Council assistant' panel (SovereignSpot) sends questions to the configured /api/chat model endpoint, where a single model writes the answer; no Council review, vote, or signature is implied. The Art 50(1) notice for this surface is registered here and being wired; until the component ships, this registry entry is the disclosure.

Disclosed under EU AI Act Article 50(1). Every surface and its classification

The four risk tiers

Unacceptable risk

Banned outright - social scoring, manipulative AI, untargeted facial scraping. In force since Feb 2025.

High risk

Heavily regulated - biometrics, hiring, credit, healthcare, justice. Risk management, oversight, conformity. Phasing to 2027.

Limited risk

Transparency duties - tell people they are dealing with AI; label synthetic media. From 2 Aug 2026.

Minimal risk

Most AI - spam filters, recommendation engines. No mandatory obligations; voluntary codes encouraged.

Who

Providers + deployers touching the EU market - including non-EU companies.

When

Bans Feb 2025; GPAI Aug 2025; transparency 2 Aug 2026; high-risk Dec 2027 / Aug 2028 (Digital Omnibus).

Penalty

Up to EUR 35m or 7% of global turnover.

See the full timeline ->What is high-risk? ->Am I ready? ->

Council OS — the EU AI Act in plain English

Answers from published measurement, or it refuses. Your question is typed into the lobby — nothing sends until you press Ask.

Open Council OS

Deterministic pane commands · grounded /api/chat lane · consent checkpoint on consequential steps