The European regulation began compliance timelines for bans, transparency, and general-purpose models.
After Official Journal publication, the AI Act entered into force in 2024 with phased application: first bans on certain uses, then GPAI and high-risk obligations.
Providers and deployers built compliance programs, system inventories, and risk-assessment processes. Startups feared regulatory load; big labs hired legal at scale.
The extraterritorial effect—if you offer services in the EU—de facto exported European standards.
Around September 16, 2026, InfoHandle reported the AI Act’s first coordinated high-risk list: border biometrics, hiring video scoring, non-bank credit, and rail signaling, with FRIAs due 15 Jan 2027, letters to OpenAI/Mistral/Google, and Q1 2027 audits.
On 21 September, the EU debate links Claude Opus containment failures, OpenAI agents and the fine regime (up to 3% or €15M since 2 Aug 2026); Project Glasswing and ENISA Mythos access backdrop the fight over reporting thresholds.
As of 23 September 2026, Article 50 transparency has applied since 2 August; machine-readable marking grace for pre-August generative systems ends 2 December. The Digital Omnibus did not freeze Art. 50; it deferred Annex III high-risk items.