EU agrees to simplify its AI rules

The European Union has agreed to simplify its landmark rules on artificial intelligence and to delay some of the toughest requirements, after pressure from businesses and governments.

The Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on 7 May on what is known as the AI Omnibus, part of a wider package to cut red tape in the EU's digital laws.

The AI Act

The EU's AI Act, which came into force in 2024, is the world's first comprehensive law on artificial intelligence. It sorts AI systems by the level of risk they pose, banning some uses altogether and placing strict requirements on those considered high-risk.

High-risk systems include those used in areas such as employment, education, biometric identification, critical infrastructure and border control.

What changes?

Under the agreement, the deadlines for high-risk AI systems will be pushed back. Rules for standalone high-risk systems will apply from 2 December 2027, and those for AI built into products covered by EU safety laws from 2 August 2028.

Without the change, many of the rules would have applied from August this year.

The agreement also reduces duplication for AI in industrial products, clarifies the role of the EU's AI Office and introduces lighter rules for small and medium-sized businesses.

New bans

At the same time, the agreement adds new prohibitions on the use of AI to create non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material, following the scandal over the Grok chatbot earlier this year.

Why the change?

Businesses had warned that the rules were complex and costly, and that European companies risked falling behind rivals in the United States and China. The European Commission proposed the simplification package last year, as part of an effort to boost Europe's competitiveness.

Some campaigners and civil society groups have criticised the delays, saying they weaken protections for citizens.

What happens next?

The agreement must be formally adopted by the Parliament and the Council, which is expected before August.

Britain

Britain is not bound by the EU's AI Act, but many British companies that sell to customers in Europe will have to comply. The British government has taken a different approach, relying on existing regulators rather than a single AI law.