On 12 July 2024, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (the “AI Act”) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.  This landmark legislation establishes harmonized rules for AI governance, including for the placement on the market of AI systems and general-purpose AI models, as well as putting into service and use of AI systems.  

The AI Act has a direct effect and horizontal application in all EU Member States.

The AI Act will enter into force on 1 August 2024 and will apply in its entirety from 2 August 2026 subject to a few exceptions including:

- the prohibition of certain AI practices and the general provisions of the AI Act that start applying from 2 February 2025;

- the obligations of general-purpose AI model providers and the AI Act provisions on unified AI governance, supervision and sanctions that start applying from 2 August 2025; and

- the rules regarding the classification of AI systems as high-risk systems based on their intended use and the obligations of operators in this respect which start applying from 2 August 2027.

Below follows a summary overview and explanation of the key provision of the AI Act, prepared by members of DGKV AI Governance team, including partner Violetta Kunze, counsel Ralitsa Gougleva, senior associate Georgi Sulev, and associate Anita Dangova.

The publication is available for download as a PDF file in Bulgarian language.