EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.
Recent Searches
On 2 August 2026, some of the most important provisions of the AI Act enter into general application.
At the same time, the Digital Omnibus on AI - a new EU regulation adopted in July 2026 - amends the AI Act to simplify its implementation and adjust key deadlines.
Important Changes
Transparency obligations apply from 2 August 2026. Companies developing or deploying AI systems may be required to inform individuals when they are interacting with an AI system or when content has been AI-generated. Providers of AI systems that generate synthetic audio, image, video or text content and that were already on the market before 2 August 2026 benefit from a transitional period and have until 2 December 2026 to comply with the AI-generated content labelling obligation.
Member States must have at least one AI regulatory sandbox operational by 2 August 2027 (extended from 2 August 2026 by the Digital Omnibus).
Stand-alone high-risk AI systems (e.g. biometric identification, employment, education) must comply with the AI Act by 2 December 2027, while high-risk AI related to regulated products (e.g. medical devices, machinery, vehicles) must comply by 2 August 2028. Companies should treat these deadlines as a clear signal to begin preparing now. Businesses must also assess today whether they are subject to the AI Act’s transparency, AI literacy or general-purpose AI obligations.
Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €35 million or 7% of global annual turnover, and authorities can require AI systems to be restricted, withdrawn or recalled from the market.
Contact Us
If you would like to discuss how EY can support you in preparing for the new requirements – our team is at your disposal.
- Svetlin Adrianov, Law Leader, EY Bulgaria, N. Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo Partner,
- Irina Yaneva, Senior Manager, Attorney-at-law Ernst & Young Law Partnership
- Veronika Dimova, Senior Legal Consultant, Ernst & Young Law Partnership
Summary
From 2 August 2026, key AI Act provisions apply across the EU, while the new Digital Omnibus on AI introduces simplified implementation rules and revised deadlines. Organizations using or developing AI must comply with transparency requirements, including informing users when they interact with AI or AI-generated content. Existing providers of generative AI systems have until 2 December 2026 to meet content-labeling obligations. The Digital Omnibus extends the deadline for national AI regulatory sandboxes to 2 August 2027.