AI View - EU AI Act Special Edition

Welcome to this special edition of AI View on the EU AI Act.

We set out below some key details on the Act and key Simmons & Simmons resources that will help you to navigate the Act and address the challenges you may encounter.

We will be publishing further EU AI Act resources over the coming weeks. This special edition brings you:

1. EU AI Act in a nutshell

2. Simmons & Simmons dedicated EU AI Act webpage

3. Simmons & Simmons Quick Guide to the EU AI Act

4. Simmons & Simmons Interactive EU AI Act Flowchart

5. Simmons & Simmons EU AI Act Webinars

Our AI Group has been advising extensively on the EU AI Act and is deeply familiar with how it operates.

Please reach out if you would like to discuss how we may be able to help your organisation to navigate this complex regulation.

EU AI Act in a nutshell

The EU AI Act is a comprehensive, sector-agnostic EU regulation which applies directly in Member States. The EU AI Act’s approach is risk-based and distinguishes between:

• Prohibited AI systems
• High-risk AI systems
• General-purpose AI (GPAI) models
• Other AI systems that are low risk.

The EU AI Act applies to the entire AI value chain, and sets out different requirements for providers, deployers, importers and distributors of AI systems. The Act applies notwithstanding the location or establishment of the operator - most importantly, it applies to providers of AI systems or GPAI models marketed in the EU, and deployers of AI systems used in the EU or whose output is used in the EU.

Every organisation that uses or deals with AI in some way will need to consider the possible impact of the EU AI Act.

The key questions organisations should ask in determining the impact of the Act are:

• Technology: Do we use or deal with AI technology, notably AI systems or GPAI models?
• Role: Are we a provider, deployer, distributor or importer of that technology?
• Scope: Do we fall within the territorial scope of the Act?
• Risk category: Which risk category do we fall under for each AI system or GPAI model?

The risk-based structure of the EU AI Act.

The EU AI Act will be implemented in stages, with the first provisions on prohibited AI and AI literacy applying in February 2025.

Read the EU AI Act here. We have also created dual-language versions of the Act here.

Simmons & Simmons dedicated EU AI Act webpage

Our dedicated EU AI Act webpage contains key information on the Act as well as our key resources and contact details.

Access the webpage here.

Simmons & Simmons Quick Guide to the EU AI Act

The Quick Guide is an excellent resource for rapidly grasping the most important elements of the EU AI Act. It offers a concise overview of the Act, its provisions and the timeline for compliance.

The Quick Guide also provides an explanation the Act’s risk classifications, including the prohibition of specific AI uses, the obligations on providers and deployers of high-risk AI systems and GPAI models, and the more limited transparency requirements for low-risk AI systems.

Access the Quick Guide here.

Simmons & Simmons Interactive EU AI Act Flowchart

Our interactive EU AI Act Flowchart is designed to allow you to determine the impact of the Act on a particular AI use case or tool.

It asks a series of user-friendly questions, with pop-up explanations and clickable boxes to find out more about how the Act applies.

Access the Flowchart here.

Simmons & Simmons EU AI Act Webinars

The first webinar in our EU AI Act webinar series, “EU AI Act: in force, what next?” provides a comprehensive overview of the key aspects of the Act. It covers the essential points such as scope, timelines, definitions of AI, risk categories, categorisations of organisations under the Act, scope and exemptions.

We have a library of on-demand webinars, addressing various aspects of the EU AI Act and how it applies in certain jurisdictions or sectors.

Please visit our webinar library here.

We are developing an EU AI Act Toolkit to bring together helpful tools for you to navigate the Act. Our team is deeply engaged in guiding organisations through the interpretation of their roles and responsibilities under the Act, adhering to our "Interpret – Assess – Comply" methodology.

If you wish to better understand how the EU AI Act applies to you, we are happy to help.