August 02, 2026—EU AI Act fully in force—Act now
Are you ready
for
08.02.2026?
From August 2, 2026, the EU AI Act applies in full — including mandatory AI competence, an AI registry, and employee guidelines. This affects every company where even a single person uses AI.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 entered into force on August 1, 2024. The obligation for AI competence (Art. 4) has been active since February 2025 — the full framework including all sanctions from August 2, 2026.
Who is affected?
Short answer: You. The regulation applies to every company where at least one person uses AI tools — regardless of size, industry, or whether the AI is self-developed or simply used.
The misconception that can get expensive: Many business owners think the EU AI Act only affects AI developers or large corporations. That's wrong. Anyone using ChatGPT, Copilot, Midjourney, an AI booking tool, or an automated email function is a deployer under the law and must fulfill obligations.
Solopreneurs & Freelancers
Anyone using AI tools in their daily work — from text generation to scheduling — falls under the scope.
Mid-market & Trades
Craft businesses with AI calculations, law firms with AI research, shops with AI product descriptions — all affected.
Agencies & Consultants
Anyone using AI for clients or delivering AI-generated content bears additional duties of care toward third parties.
Shops & Hospitality
AI-powered reservation systems, website chatbots, automated pricing — the Act applies everywhere.
What you must
prove by 08.02.2026
The EU AI Act prescribes three concrete obligations for all deployers. None of these requirements is optional — all must be documented and embedded in the company.
AI Competence
All employees who use AI systems must demonstrably possess sufficient AI knowledge. This includes basic understanding, risk awareness, and responsible handling of AI outputs.
Training measures must be documented and tailored to each role.- AI training for all users in the company
- Proof of participation and content
- Regular updates when new tools are introduced
- Role-specific content customization
AI Registry
Every company must document which AI systems are in use — what they do, what they're used for, and which decisions they influence. Comparable to the GDPR processing directory.
The registry must be kept current and available for inspection on request.- List of all AI tools in use
- Purpose and scope per tool
- Risk classification per EU AI Act
- Responsible person per system
AI EmployeeGuidelines
Companies must create and communicate clear internal regulations for AI use — which tools are permitted, how outputs should be handled, and what limits apply.
The guidelines must be documented in writing, communicated, and updated when changes occur.- Written AI policy in the company
- Permitted and prohibited applications
- Handling of AI-generated content
- Incident reporting obligations
The consequences
of violations
The EU AI Act provides for severe sanctions — and cease-and-desist letters from competitors are an additional risk that many underestimate. The law is actively enforced.
Fine by supervisory authority
For serious violations of the EU AI Act — particularly missing AI competence, missing registry, or unauthorized AI systems — fines of up to 7% of annual turnover can be imposed.
Alternative: absolute maximum
Where 7% of turnover does not reach 35 million euros, this serves as the upper ceiling. For SMEs this means: the percentage rule applies first and can still be existence-threatening.
Cease-and-desist by competitors — lack of transparency about AI use or unfulfilled documentation obligations can be challenged as unfair competition.
Inspections by national authorities — the responsible market surveillance authorities can actively audit. In Germany, jurisdiction is currently regulated at the federal level.
Civil liability — for damages caused by AI systems without adequate documentation or training, personal liability of management can arise.
What to do now
AI Training & Workshops
Hands-on training packages for teams of any size — from legal foundations to department-specific deep sessions. Three formats, one goal: EU AI Act compliance plus real-world application.
- From 4 hours — Basis, Pro, or Enterprise
- Up to 60 participants — for the whole company
- From €1,000 — depending on package and scope
- Certificate as compliance proof
- 3 packages — from entry level to annual support
- On-site or online — you decide
Not sure where you stand?
In under 5 minutes you'll see how well your company is prepared for the EU AI Act — and where concrete action is needed. Free, non-binding, instant results.
The test covers all three mandatory areas: AI competence, registry, and employee guidelines — with direct recommendations at the end.