EU Passes AI Law to Regulate Implementation and Usage Starting 2026

European Union lawmakers have approved a landmark law regulating artificial intelligence, making Europe one of the first regions to have governance on this critical, disruptive technology. The EU AI Act aims to reshape how AI is used across various sectors, from healthcare to policing, by implementing strict regulations and outright bans on certain applications.

The AI Act, the first of its kind, categorizes AI applications into different risk levels. It bans the use of AI for social scoring (similar to that of China) and any biometric tools that predict a person’s race, political leanings, or sexual orientation. It also prohibits AI from interpreting emotions in schools and workplaces and certain types of predictive policing.

High-risk AI applications, particularly in education, hiring, and access to government services, will face stringent transparency and accountability requirements. Companies like OpenAI, which develop complex AI models, will need to comply with new disclosure rules.

A significant part of the legislation is the requirement that all AI-generated deepfakes must be clearly labeled. This is something that the like of Samsung and Meta have implemented and is aimed at addressing concerns about manipulated media leading to misinformation and election interference.

The EU AI Act, set to take effect in approximately two years, demonstrates the swift action of EU policymakers in response to the rapid growth and popularity of AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This legislative initiative began in 2021, giving EU lawmakers a head start as AI technology surged into public and investment prominence.

The EU’s effort is being compare to the US apparent delay in enforcing any AI regulation of its and has not yet made significant progress on federal AI legislation. This is despite efforts by SEnate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to prioritize AI regulation, the US remains behind in implementing federal laws governing AI.

The complete text for your reference and perusal can be view on this website.