Art.1
EU AI Act Guide › Chapter I — General Provisions › Article 1

Article 1 — Subject Matter

General ~1 min read · 273 words

Article 1 is the opening statement of the EU AI Act. It explains what the regulation is, what it sets out to achieve, and why it was created. Short but foundational — it frames everything that follows.

— Not directly applicable to SMEs

WHAT THE ARTICLE IS ABOUT

The legal foundation of the EU AI Act

Article 1 establishes the purpose and scope of the EU AI Act. It is the legal foundation on which all 113 articles rest — defining the regulation’s objectives and the principles guiding it.

WHAT IT SAYS

Purpose and objectives

  • The AI Act lays down harmonised rules for AI systems placed on the market or put into service in the EU
  • It aims to ensure that AI systems are safe, respect fundamental rights, and align with EU values
  • It establishes rules for general purpose AI models and creates a governance framework with defined responsibilities at both EU and national level
  • It seeks to promote innovation while managing risk — explicitly balancing both objectives

WHO IS AFFECTED

Broad reach, foundational obligations

  • Any business placing an AI system on the EU market, regardless of where the company is based
  • Public authorities using AI systems within the EU
  • Researchers and developers whose work enters commercial or public use

WHAT IT MEANS FOR SMES

No direct obligations — but read it anyway

  • Article 1 sets no direct obligations — it is a statement of intent, not a compliance requirement
  • However it signals clearly that the Act applies to businesses of all sizes, not just large corporations
  • The explicit mention of innovation promotion is deliberate — SMEs can reference this when engaging with regulators or applying for sandbox programmes under the Act
  • Read this article once to understand the spirit of the law — it informs how every other article should be interpreted

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