At a glance
- What happened: Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, the Digital Omnibus on AI, was signed on 8 July 2026 and published in the Official Journal on 24 July 2026. It entered into force on 27 July 2026, the third day after publication, as its Article 4 provides.
- The headline change: the obligations for high-risk AI systems now apply from 2 December 2027 for stand-alone uses listed in Annex III, and from 2 August 2028 for AI built into products covered by the legislation listed in Annex I. They were due on 2 August 2026 and 2 August 2027.
- What did not move: the prohibitions and the AI literacy duty (since 2 February 2025), the general-purpose AI rules (since 2 August 2025), and the general date of application, 2 August 2026, which includes the transparency obligations in Article 50.
The timeline
The status of each milestone is worked out from today's date when this page loads. Dates are those in the regulations themselves.
- 1 Aug 2024
The AI Act enters into force
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 enters into force. Most of its obligations apply later, in stages.
- 2 Feb 2025
Prohibited practices and AI literacy
Chapters I and II apply: the general provisions, including the AI literacy duty in Article 4, and the list of prohibited AI practices in Article 5.
- 2 Aug 2025
General-purpose AI, governance and penalties
The rules for providers of general-purpose AI models, the governance structure and the penalty framework begin to apply, with fines for general-purpose AI providers following later.
- 27 Jul 2026
The Digital Omnibus enters into force
Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 amends the AI Act. Articles 102 to 110 of the AI Act, which amend other EU laws, apply from this date.
- 2 Aug 2026
General date of application
Most of the remaining AI Act applies, including the transparency obligations in Article 50: telling people when they are dealing with AI, and marking and labelling AI-generated or manipulated content.
- 2 Dec 2026
New prohibitions apply, and a deadline for existing generative AI
Two new prohibitions in Article 5 apply: AI that generates or manipulates realistic intimate imagery of an identifiable person without consent, and AI that generates child sexual abuse material, each with defined conditions. Providers of generative AI systems already on the market before 2 August 2026 must also comply with the marking obligation in Article 50(2) by this date.
- 2 Dec 2027
High-risk AI listed in Annex III
The high-risk requirements in Chapter III, Sections 1 to 3, apply to AI systems classified as high-risk under Article 6(2) and Annex III. Annex III lists uses such as assessing the creditworthiness of individuals, risk assessment and pricing in life and health insurance, and employment decisions.
Previously 2 August 2026.
- 2 Aug 2028
High-risk AI in regulated products
The same requirements apply to AI systems classified as high-risk under Article 6(1) and Annex I, which covers AI that is a safety component of products under EU product legislation.
Previously 2 August 2027.
- 2 Aug 2030
Existing high-risk systems used by public authorities
Providers and deployers of high-risk AI systems intended for use by public authorities, and placed on the market before the high-risk rules apply, must take the necessary steps to comply by this date.
What else the Omnibus changed
- AI literacy (Article 4). Providers and deployers must take measures to support the development of AI literacy among their staff and others who operate or use AI on their behalf, taking account of their knowledge, experience and context. The text says the duty does not require them to guarantee any specific level of literacy of any individual. The Commission and Member States are to support the effort.
- Bias detection (new Article 4a). It creates a conditional route to process special categories of personal data where strictly necessary to detect and correct bias in high-risk AI. Read the article for the conditions.
- AI Office powers. New articles give the AI Office decision-making and enforcement powers over certain AI systems, including commitments and fines.
- Alignment with product law. Related amendments to the machinery regulation and the civil aviation safety regulation align them with the AI Act.
Does it apply to us?
The AI Act applies to providers placing AI systems on the EU market, to deployers in the EU, and to providers and deployers in other countries where the output of the AI system is used in the EU. Institutions in the UAE that serve EU customers or supply AI into the EU may therefore be in scope. Whether you are, and in what role, is a legal question to settle with your adviser.
What to do with this timeline
- Build your inventory and classify it. You cannot tell which systems are high-risk, or which transparency rules apply, without a list.
- Check the transparency rules now. They apply from 2 August 2026 and cover chatbots and AI-generated content.
- Use the extra time on high-risk systems well. December 2027 is a deadline for evidence: documentation, testing, human oversight and monitoring take time to build.
- Keep your AI literacy effort going. The duty remains, in a softer form.
- Re-check this timeline. Further changes are possible, for example through guidance and standards.
Keep in mind
This page summarizes the regulations; it is not legal advice. The dates above were checked against the English text of Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 in the Official Journal. Read the regulation itself, and take advice, before relying on any date.
Related terms
Sources
- Official Journal of the European Union, L series, 24.7.2026: Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 July 2026 amending Regulations (EU) 2024/1689, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2023/1230 as regards the simplification of the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Digital Omnibus on AI)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689: the Artificial Intelligence Act (original text; read it together with the amending regulation)