Academy / Regulation & Governance

Course 1 · Regulating AI

EU AI Act Fundamentals

Understand the world's first comprehensive AI law: who it applies to, how it classifies risk, what it bans, what it demands of high-risk and general-purpose AI, and how to start building a compliance programme.

📘 6 modules⏱ About 3 hours✅ Knowledge check per module🎓 Final assessment & certificate🎯 No prerequisites

0 of 6 modules complete

Start Module 1 Final assessment

Modules

  1. 1

    What is the EU AI Act?

    Purpose, the definition of an AI system, territorial scope, exemptions and the roles of provider and deployer.

    25 min
  2. 2

    The risk-based approach

    The four risk tiers, where general-purpose AI fits, and how to approach classification.

    20 min
  3. 3

    Prohibited AI practices

    The practices banned under Article 5 — including the new 2026 prohibitions — and their narrow exceptions.

    25 min
  4. 4

    High-risk AI systems

    Annex I and Annex III, the Article 6(3) filter, provider requirements and deployer duties.

    40 min
  5. 5

    Transparency & general-purpose AI

    Article 50 disclosure duties, deepfakes and watermarking, and obligations for GPAI models and systemic risk.

    30 min
  6. 6

    Governance, enforcement & compliance

    Who enforces the Act, penalties, the implementation timeline, AI literacy and a practical compliance roadmap.

    35 min

Key dates at a glance

  • 1 August 2024

    The AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) enters into force.

  • 2 February 2025

    Prohibited practices and AI literacy obligations apply.

  • 2 August 2025

    General-purpose AI model obligations, governance structures and penalties apply.

  • 2 August 2026

    Article 50 transparency obligations apply. The Commission's GPAI enforcement powers begin.

  • 2 December 2026

    Deadline for watermarking by generative AI systems already on the market before 2 August 2026; new prohibitions on non-consensual intimate imagery and CSAM generators fully apply.

  • 2 August 2027

    GPAI models placed on the market before 2 August 2025 must comply.

  • 2 December 2027

    High-risk obligations apply to stand-alone (Annex III) systems.

  • 2 August 2028

    High-risk obligations apply to AI in regulated products (Annex I).