Between Ambition and Reality: Is the Launch of the AI Act Delayed?

The European AI Act, the first comprehensive regulation for artificial intelligence worldwide, was originally set to come into full effect by August 2026. However, there are increasing indications that this timeline might be postponed. Industry associations and large tech companies are calling for an extension, while civil society organizations warn of a setback in European digital policy.

Background: The Regulation Timeline

The EU adopted the AI Act in August 2024. Since then, the regulation has been coming into effect gradually:

• Since February 2025, certain AI applications like social scoring have been banned.
• Since August 2025, transparency obligations apply to providers of so-called foundation models.
• The full regulation of high-risk systems is set to follow on August 2, 2026.

By then, technical standards are to be developed to assist companies in implementing the legal requirements. These standards specify how risk analyses, data management, or transparency obligations are to be practically implemented.

Industry Calls for Extension

Companies and associations such as IBM, Siemens, or the Federation of German Industries (BDI) are calling for an adjustment to this timeline. Under the motto “Stop the clock” they argue that the necessary European norms and standards are not yet fully available, making it difficult to prepare for the new obligations. IBM assumes that some standards might not be completed until the end of 2026. The BDI therefore suggests postponing the deadlines by up to two years – to August 2028. The German government also supports an extension, but only by one year.

Criticism from Civil Society and Consumer Protection

Numerous non-governmental organizations and consumer associations warn against a weakening of the regulation. In an open letter to EU Digital Commissioner Henna Virkkunen, 31 organizations, led by European Digital Rights (EDRi), demand that the existing timeline be maintained. A postponement, they argue, would create legal uncertainty and disadvantage those who have already prepared for implementation.

The European consumer representation ANEC also emphasizes that the technical standards are only voluntary aids and not prerequisites for the application of the law. A delay could weaken the EU’s international credibility as a pioneer in AI regulation. The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) also points out that consumers would gain access to new rights later due to a postponement – such as more transparency and labeling obligations for high-risk systems.

Political Decision in November

A decision on the extension is expected on November 19. On this day, the EU Commission plans to present the so-called “Digital Omnibus” – a package of measures to simplify and adapt European digital regulations. A postponement of the AI regulation would then need to be confirmed by the European Parliament and the Council.

A Balancing Act Between Legal Certainty and Competitiveness

The debate over the AI Act highlights the conflicting goals of European digital policy: On the one hand, regulation is meant to ensure legal certainty, transparency, and consumer protection. On the other hand, there is concern that too early or too complex requirements could disadvantage European companies in international competition.

How the EU Commission decides will show whether Europe can maintain its claim as a global leader in responsible AI governance – or whether economic interests will once again set the pace.