Digital Omnibus on AI — AI Act amendments
An amending regulation that simplified the AI Act and postponed the high-risk rules. In force since 27 July 2026.
What it means for AI
If you read older guides, check the dates: many still show 2 Aug 2026 for high-risk AI, which no longer applies. What did NOT change: the bans, the transparency duties from 2 Aug 2026 and the rules for general-purpose models.
What you must do
- AI literacy (Art. 4) is now an obligation of effort: take measures that support staff’s AI literacy — no specific level or certificate is required.
- High-risk obligations moved: Annex III to 2 Dec 2027, Annex I products to 2 Aug 2028.
- New bans from 2 Dec 2026: AI that creates non-consensual intimate images of real people or child sexual abuse material.
- Generative AI already on the market before 2 Aug 2026 has until 2 Dec 2026 for machine-readable marking of outputs.
- SME relief extended to small mid-caps (SMC, up to 750 employees): the lower fine cap, proportionate documentation, priority access to sandboxes.
- New Art. 4a: a legal basis to process special categories of personal data to detect and correct bias — a possibility, not an obligation, under strict conditions.
- The fundamental rights impact assessment can refer to an existing GDPR data protection impact assessment.
- The European AI Office supervises AI systems built on a general-purpose model by the same provider and AI in very large online platforms.
- National regulatory sandboxes: deadline moved to 2 Aug 2027.
Examples
No certificate is required. A short policy, a training for people who use AI and an internal record (who, when, what) are a practical way to show effort.
The deadline is now 2 Dec 2027 — but the ban on emotion recognition in interviews has applied since 2025 and did not move.
Key dates
The Commission proposes the Digital Omnibus package.
Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 is published in the Official Journal.
The Omnibus on AI enters into force (new Art. 4 on AI literacy applies).
General information, not legal advice — consult a lawyer for borderline cases. Regulations reviewed on 29 Sep 2026.