PIPELINEGlossary · Legal and compliance
What is the EU AI Act?
The EU AI Act is the European regulation for the use of artificial intelligence. It classifies applications by risk and attaches different obligations accordingly. Since August 2026, transparency obligations apply: Anyone communicating with an AI system must be able to recognize it.
01 — Context
EU AI Act in Detail
For most small businesses, this is the relevant part. A chatbot must disclose on first contact that it's not a human. Published content that was synthetically generated or substantially altered must be labeled.
The regulation does not distinguish by company size. What matters is purpose and risk, not headcount. There's also an obligation to ensure adequate AI competence among those working with it.
02 — Practice
What this means for small businesses
For a typical business with a website chatbot, it's a manageable package: inventory of the tools in use, labeling where required, a brief usage policy, and documented training.
03 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Are there penalties?
The regulation provides for sanctions that can be substantial depending on the violation. The range is lower for transparency obligations than for prohibited practices.
Do we have to label every AI-generated text?
Yes, for published content that is synthetically generated or substantially altered. A text editorially revised and overseen by humans is assessed differently — the exact boundary is not yet fully settled.
04 — Continue
Related terms and services
Related services
Next step
Let's talk briefly about whether this makes sense for you.
A twenty-minute conversation is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense. If not, we'll say so — that's cheaper for both sides than an offer nobody needs.