EU AI Act’s Passage Starts the Clock for US Companies to Comply

European Union lawmakers on Wednesday approved a sweeping new regulation on artificial intelligence, the key final step in adopting the act. Now the clock starts ticking toward implementation of the law’s major provisions, which come into effect over the next three years.

The EU AI Act takes a risk-based approach, looking at how the technology will impact individuals. Uses of AI deemed to pose unacceptable threats are banned, likely effective by the end of this year. Higher-risk applications—uses of AI that can have significant consequences for the people affected—are subject to scrutiny.

“The AI Act is a ...