You Use AI? Here's What the EU AI Act Means for Your Business

You Use AI Tools? Under the EU AI Act, You're a "Deployer"

Your company uses ChatGPT to draft emails? A CRM with client scoring? An HR tool that pre-screens resumes?

Then you're a "deployer" under the EU AI Act. And starting August 2, 2026, you have concrete legal obligations.

You didn't build these tools — you just use them. But compliance responsibility is shared between the provider AND the deployer. That's the main trap for SMEs.

What Changes Depending on Your Tools

Customer service chatbot

Transparency obligation. Your customers must know they're talking to an AI. This applies to all generative AI systems that interact directly with users.

Commercial or credit scoring

Classified as "high risk." You need complete documentation, effective human oversight, and full decision traceability. Scoring that affects access to credit or financial services falls under Annex III.

Automated resume screening

Also high risk (Annex III). You must be able to explain and challenge every decision made by the system. Candidates have the right to know that an algorithm participated in screening their application.

Internal AI assistant (e.g., Copilot)

Limited risk, but there's an AI literacy obligation for your teams. And this one is already in effect since February 2025. Your employees need to understand what the tool they're using daily actually does.

Emotion recognition in interviews

Prohibited. Period. The AI Act classifies this as a banned practice, with no exception for professional contexts.

The Question to Ask Your Vendors on Monday

"Is your solution classified as high risk under the AI Act? Do you have the Annex IV technical documentation?"

If your vendor can't answer, that's a red flag. A serious provider anticipates regulation and prepares compliance documentation ahead of time.

4 Months Left — It's Tight, but Doable

The August 2, 2026 deadline is approaching. Companies that start now still have time to:

• Map their existing AI usage
• Classify each tool according to the AI Act risk levels
• Identify the specific obligations for each use case
• Implement the necessary compliance measures

Want to know exactly where you stand? I offer a 5-day express diagnostic to map your AI usage and identify your obligations. Book a discovery call to discuss it.