Home
What does the AI Regulation cover?
The AI Regulation (also known as the Artificial Intelligence Act or AI Act) establishes uniform rules for providers of AI products in the EU and for the use of AI. However, there are also requirements for companies that "only" use AI.
You can find more information in our article: “AI Regulation: Uniform Rules in the EU”
What exactly is an AI system?
According to Article 3, No. 1 of the AI Regulation, an AI system is:
“a machine-based system that is designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy and that may adapt after deployment, and that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments…”
Does this mean your company is also affected by the AI Regulation?
As is often the case, this legal definition isn’t particularly clear. It doesn't really say whether the AI you currently use (or plan to use) in your company is affected by the regulation – and if so, to what extent.
You can now get an initial assessment via the “AI Compliance Compass” from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur).
This tool helps you determine in just a few steps:
- whether your AI system falls under the EU AI legal framework (AI Act)
- whether the system involves prohibited practices (e.g., social scoring, facial recognition without consent)
- whether it is considered a high-risk AI system
- which transparency obligations you must comply with
- and finally, whether regulation is relevant to your system as a whole
The results are informative and non-binding – they do not replace an official regulatory review.
Another important point: AI competence
As of February 2025, providers and operators of AI systems must also ensure that all individuals operating or using AI systems on their behalf possess sufficient AI competence.
According to Article 4 of the AI Regulation, this means:
"AI competence
Providers and operators of AI systems shall take measures to make best efforts to ensure that their personnel and other persons acting on their behalf in relation to the operation or use of AI systems have an adequate level of AI competence, taking into account their technical knowledge, experience, education and training, the context in which the AI systems are intended to be used, and the persons or groups of persons on whom the AI systems are intended to be used."
You can read more about this in our article: “AI Competence: What Applies from February 2025 Onward”
Tip
In addition to the AI Compliance Compass, the “AI Service Desk” on the website of the Federal Network Agency provides further information on AI topics.
There you’ll find:
- FAQs
- Contact options for specific regulatory questions
- Guidelines and recommendations
- Information on the virtual event series “AI Café”
