AI Act and Responsible AI: Regulatory Implications for Providers and Deployers of Artificial Intelligence Systems

Fairness and explainability are no longer only concerns for technical experts but are becoming increasingly central to regulatory compliance.

For years, the technology industry has operated largely on the basis of voluntary principles, ethical guidelines, and internal safeguards, but in Europe the EU AI Act—Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 on artificial intelligence, published in July 2024—signals a decisive shift toward binding legal oversight.

The legislation introduces risk-based rules for AI systems, with regulations calibrated according to the potential harm they may pose. The Act gives regulators the power to impose fines of up to €35m or 7% of a company’s total worldwide annual turnover for the most serious violations.

The seven principles of trustworthy AI, outlined by the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence in 2019, provide a foundation for assessing whether AI systems can be used responsibly in practice. They cover human agency and oversight; technical robustness and safety; privacy and data governance; transparency; diversity, non-discrimination and fairness; societal and environmental well-being; and accountability.

For organizations developing or using AI, compliance should not be seen only as a regulatory burden. It is also a chance to strengthen internal governance, improve the quality of AI systems, and build trust with customers, partners, and regulators. In that sense, fairness, explainability, and human oversight are not barriers to innovation, but conditions for making it sustainable and legitimate.