August 2, 2026 — the EU AI Act switches on its high-risk requirements. That is closer than it sounds.
High-risk (Annex III) covers hiring, credit decisions, education, and law enforcement. The subtlety for team leads: even an internal AI system that scores employees or assigns their work may trigger the full set of obligations. Fines run up to €35M or 7% of global turnover.
In parallel, the EU has agreed to simplify parts of the rulebook — worth reading the final text to the end.
The verdict for team leads: run the audit — do any of your AI features fall under high-risk? Less than six weeks remain before the deadline.