News of the EU AI Act's delayed high-risk deadlines has been read in some quarters as a general pause. Several obligations carry on unchanged, and a few have hard dates this year. It helps to separate what moved from what stayed.
Still in force
The bans on prohibited AI practices apply now. The transparency duties on general-purpose models apply to new models, with Commission enforcement from 2 August 2026. Where a firm operates in the EU, data protection law and its sector rules apply whatever the Act's timetable. The delay covers the high-risk regime for Annex III and Annex I systems, and little beyond it.
A short readiness list
Three steps hold their value whatever the deadline. Keep a current inventory of the AI systems in use and who owns each. Record which are likely high-risk under Annex III, so scope is settled before the standards land. Hold the evidence, such as risk assessments and oversight arrangements, in a form a reviewer can follow. None of that expires when a date moves.
Part of our guide: EU AI Act compliance for UK organisations.
Keep your inventory and evidence current
HEX 165 maintains that record against the duties that apply. Get in touch or read more about HEX 165.