Check your AI systems’ AI Act risk class
in 2 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
about the AI Act.
What is the AI Act?
The AI Act is Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, the first comprehensive European law on artificial intelligence. It classifies AI systems by risk and sets obligations for those who develop and those who use them. It applies in stages and was amended in 2026 by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, which postponed the high-risk obligations.
Does it apply to companies that only use AI tools?
Yes. Companies that use AI systems are "deployers" under the AI Act. They must support the AI literacy of their staff, respect the transparency rules and, when they use high-risk systems, ensure human oversight, keep logs and inform the people involved.
What are the risk classes?
There are four: prohibited practices (such as social scoring or emotion recognition at work); high risk (uses listed in Annex III, such as recruitment, credit and education, and AI that is a safety component of products in Annex I); limited risk, with transparency obligations (chatbots and generated content); and minimal risk.
When do the obligations apply?
Prohibitions and AI literacy have applied since 2 February 2025, obligations for general-purpose AI models since 2 August 2025 and transparency obligations since 2 August 2026. After the 2026 amendment, high-risk obligations apply from 2 December 2027 for Annex III uses and from 2 August 2028 for products in Annex I.
What are the fines?
Up to 35 million euros or 7% of worldwide annual turnover for prohibited practices, up to 15 million euros or 3% for breaches of the other obligations, and up to 7.5 million euros or 1% for supplying incorrect information to the authorities. For SMEs the lower of the two amounts applies.
Is using AI in HR high risk?
It depends on the use. Using AI to screen applications, evaluate candidates, decide on promotions or dismissals, assign tasks or monitor performance is high risk. Using a generative AI tool to draft a job advert is not.
Are there national rules on top of the AI Act?
Yes. Each EU country appoints its own authorities to supervise and enforce the AI Act, and some add national rules. Spain, for example, has a dedicated agency (AESIA), and Italy's Law 132/2025 requires employers to inform workers when they use AI. In every country, employers using a high-risk AI system must inform workers and their representatives before putting it into use.
How does ISO 42001 help?
ISO 42001 is the international standard for AI management systems. It organises what the AI Act requires in practice: an inventory of AI systems, risk assessment, policies, roles, training and monitoring. Certification does not replace the legal obligations, but it gives you a structure and the evidence to show you meet them.
