In March 2024 the European Parliament approved the AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive law governing artificial intelligence. It takes a risk-based approach: the higher an AI system’s potential for harm, the stricter the obligations placed on it, with some uses banned outright.
Even for UK businesses outside the EU, this matters. Like GDPR before it, the Act is likely to shape global norms and the AI products you’ll end up using.
Why this matters
- A global benchmark — like GDPR, its influence will reach well beyond the EU.
- Risk-based rules — higher-risk uses carry far heavier obligations.
- More transparency ahead — expect clearer disclosure of when AI is in use.
- Knowing your AI footprint — you’ll need to understand where AI sits in your operations.
What we’d advise
You don’t need to become a compliance expert overnight, but you should know where AI sits in your business. We help clients build a simple inventory of their AI use — the foundation for staying on the right side of fast-moving regulation.
Source: European Parliament, March 2024.