EU AI Act deadlines 2026–2028: the dates that matter
Article 50 transparency rules apply from 2 August 2026 — on schedule. High-risk rules were delayed to December 2027 / August 2028 by the Digital Omnibus. GPAI rules have applied since August 2025.
The full timeline, clean
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2 Aug 2025 | GPAI obligations began; governance provisions live |
| 2 Aug 2026 | Article 50 transparency duties apply — chatbots, deepfakes, AI text, emotion AI |
| 2 Dec 2026 | Grace period ends: machine-readable marking for generative systems already on the market before August |
| 2 Dec 2027 | High-risk Annex III obligations (delayed by the Digital Omnibus) |
| 2 Aug 2028 | High-risk Annex I obligations (delayed) |
The trap
"The AI Act was delayed" is only true for high-risk rules. The transparency clock never moved — and it's the one that applies to normal business websites. Why the two-clock confusion is dangerous →
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