The AI Act officially becomes valid twenty days after it is published in the Official Journal of the European Union, meaning the regulation itself legally enters into force at that time, but it won’t be applied yet, as the specific rules start applying gradually from dates ranging between February 2025 and August 2027.
Most provisions of the AI Act begin applying from 2 August 2026, but certain sections and chapters have their own earlier or later application dates; for example, initial definitions and general rules apply earlier in February 2025, while some key obligations don’t fully apply until August 2027.
Yes, different parts of the AI Act have varying application dates; Chapters I and II become applicable first in February 2025, followed by additional specific sections including transparency and monitoring provisions from August 2025, with the main obligations fully implemented by August 2027.
The latest major obligations under the AI Act involve Article 6(1)—which addresses certain specific responsibilities—and these start applying on 2 August 2027, giving organizations more time to prepare and comply with these more demanding and potentially complex regulations regarding high-risk AI systems.
