EU AI Act: The Ban Has Begun – Are You Ready for What Comes Next?

February 2, 2025, marked the first major milestone in the implementation of the EU AI Act. From this date, AI systems classified as posing unacceptable risks—such as social scoring and biometric categorization—are officially banned. This is a defining moment in AI regulation, signaling that compliance is no longer a future concern but an immediate necessity.

What Does This Mean?

The Unacceptable-Risk AI category (Chapter 2, Article 5) includes systems that:
🚫 Manipulate vulnerable groups
🚫 Perform social scoring
🚫 Use biometric identification in public spaces (except under strict law enforcement conditions)
🚫 Categorize individuals based on sensitive attributes
🚫 Conduct emotion recognition

These systems can no longer be developed, deployed, or used within the EU.

High-Risk AI? Time Is Running Out

If your AI system falls into the High-Risk category (Article 6(2)), you have until August 1, 2026, to ensure full compliance. That may seem like plenty of time, but implementing a robust quality management system (QMS) can take at least a year—meaning the window for action is already shrinking.

The QMS requirement is extensive, covering:
✅ Regulatory compliance strategy
✅ Risk management
✅ Development and verification procedures
✅ Post-market monitoring
✅ Data governance
✅ Accountability frameworks

Act Now – Adopt a Proven Framework

The EU AI Act demands structured, systematic compliance. Organizations should adopt state-of-the-art processes, such as the SPICE Machine Learning Quality Framework, to meet regulatory expectations efficiently and avoid last-minute rushes.

The milestone has passed, and the countdown to compliance is in motion.

Are your AI systems ready?