📘 What’s Covered
- Structure of the AI Act – A concise breakdown of Titles I to XIII and their regulatory scope.
- Risk-Based Categorization – Clear distinctions between prohibited, high-risk, limited-risk, and minimal-risk AI.
- High-Risk AI Obligations – Provider and deployer duties, conformity assessments, post-market monitoring, human oversight, and technical documentation.
- Prohibited Practices – Detailed examples, particularly on manipulative techniques and emotion recognition.
- Foundation Models and GPAI – A dedicated section demystifies obligations under Title IX, including risk management plans and documentation requirements.
- Governance and Enforcement – Outlines the role of the AI Office, notified bodies, and national market surveillance authorities.
- Timelines and Transition – Visual guides for compliance deadlines (notably the timeline on page 57 is particularly useful).
- Templates and Tools – Includes checklists and compliance pathways, with suggested contents for technical documentation (e.g., Annex IV interpretations on page 42).
💡 Why It Matters?
This is one of the most usable and structured handbooks available right now for operationalizing the AI Act. It bridges the legal text with practical compliance steps, and aligns especially well with organizations preparing internal governance systems. The authors focus on real-world implementation—e.g., handling dual roles (provider and deployer), dealing with legacy systems, or understanding the impact of foundation model transparency rules.
This guide goes beyond regurgitating the law—it explains how to act and what to prioritize.
❓ What’s Missing?
- No detailed coverage of standardisation (e.g., EN ISO/IEC or CEN/CENELEC drafts) even though it’s central to presumption of conformity.
- No jurisdictional comparison – missing context on how the EU AI Act aligns with other major frameworks (e.g., NIST AI RMF, OECD, UK’s context).
- Doesn’t fully explore edge cases—like borderline high-risk AI or enforcement in cross-border scenarios.
These gaps are understandable—it’s a handbook, not a legal commentary—but practitioners handling cross-jurisdictional products might need supplemental sources.
🧭 Best For
- In-house counsel and DPOs preparing compliance plans.
- Product managers or AI leads designing or procuring high-risk systems.
- Consultancies advising clients on practical EU AI Act implementation.
- Training programs or internal briefings for multidisciplinary teams.
📄 Source Details
- Title: EU AI Act Handbook
- Authors: Not individually credited; appears to be prepared by an expert AI compliance group or consultancy.
- Date: April 2024 (based on internal references)
- Pages: ~60
- Cited Legal Texts: AI Act final compromise text, GDPR, NIS2 (contextually)
- Visual Aids: Includes simplified flowcharts, checklists, compliance maps (e.g., page 36: provider obligations timeline).
