The EU's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act: The First Of Its Kind

At a glance

The EU has introduced new legislation on AI, the EU AI Act, which lays the foundation for the regulation of, and responsible development of, AI across all industries within the EU. The Act was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 13 July 2024 and is due to enter into force on 2 August 2024. While it will be the first of its kind to come into effect globally, it seems Colorado in the US is not far behind, being the first US state to recently pass comprehensive legislation on the issue.

This article will look at what the EU AI Act says, how it categorises AI systems, what is prohibited under the Act and what is deemed high risk. While the Act will be relevant to many industries, this article will briefly consider some of the implications for Medtech specifically and will also touch on how the Act compares with Colorado's equivalent.