The EU AI Act is here, and the compliance clock is ticking. Here's your timeline for getting ready.
Understanding the Requirements
The EU AI Act uses a risk-based approach:
- **Prohibited AI**: Banned outright (social scoring, etc.)
- **High-Risk AI**: Extensive requirements (most enterprise use cases)
- **Limited Risk**: Transparency obligations
- **Minimal Risk**: No specific requirements
Penalties
- Intentional violations: Up to 6% of global annual revenue or €30M
- Non-intentional violations: Up to 4% of global revenue or €20M
Your Timeline
Q4 2025
- Complete AI inventory
- Classify AI systems by risk level
- Identify high-risk applications
Q1 2026
- Gap analysis against requirements
- Prioritize remediation efforts
- Begin technical controls implementation
Q2 2026
- Complete required documentation
- Implement human oversight mechanisms
- Train relevant staff
Q3 2026
- Conduct compliance audit
- Address findings
- Prepare for enforcement
Q4 2026 and Beyond
- Ongoing monitoring
- Regular reassessment
- Continuous improvement
Start now. Organizations that wait will face both compliance risk and competitive disadvantage.
Michael oversees compliance strategy at ZeroShare, helping organizations navigate the complex regulatory landscape around AI. He previously led compliance programs at Fortune 500 financial services firms and holds CISA, CISM, and CRISC certifications.
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This article reflects research and analysis by the ZeroShare editorial team. Statistics and regulatory information are sourced from publicly available reports and should be verified for your specific use case. For details about our content and editorial practices, see our Terms of Service.