Is there an EU AI Act exemption for small businesses?
No. Article 50 transparency obligations apply by use case, not company size — a five-person shop with an AI chatbot has the same disclosure duty as an enterprise. Only the fine amounts consider scale.
Where the confusion comes from
Parts of the AI Act include SME-friendly measures (support programs, regulatory sandboxes, proportional fines). People read "SME support" and hear "SME exemption". There isn't one — not for transparency.
What actually applies to a small business
- Chatbot disclosure — yes, even with one widget and three employees.
- AI content labeling — yes, even for a two-person marketing team.
- Deepfake labeling — yes.
- Fines — scaled down for SMEs, but they start from "painful", not "symbolic".
The good news for small teams
The obligations were designed to be technically simple: a visible notice, labels on synthetic content, records. No audits, no certifications, no conformity assessments — that's the high-risk rulebook (which mostly doesn't apply to marketing AI). A small site can genuinely cover Article 50 in an afternoon, free. Start with the scan →
Free tools: scan your site · all guides · full assessment — €99
The assessment
Company assessment
€99
One payment per company.
Get a specialist-reviewed AI inventory, system classifications, required notices and a prioritised action plan within 24–48h.
What you receive
- •AI inventory and system classifications
- •Article 50 duties by touchpoint
- •Recommended notice wording and placement
- •Evidence and documentation gaps
- •Prioritised actions and deadlines
- •Specialist review and follow-up questions
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