AI Act Changes: What Does the Digital Omnibus Propose for the EU AI Act?
The European Commission has proposed a series of amendments to the EU AI Act to facilitate its timely and proportionate implementation. These amendments are encapsulated in the recently published Digital Omnibus on AI, which is part of a larger simplification package aimed at streamlining digital regulation.
Key Amendments Proposed to the EU AI Act
The proposals include several significant changes:
- Compliance Deadline Adjustments
The compliance deadline for high-risk AI obligations has been pushed back. These obligations, deemed some of the most burdensome in the Act, faced intense lobbying for a delay. The new proposals suggest postponing the obligations until supporting measures, such as harmonised standards, are available to assist with compliance.
- Grace Period for Transparency Requirements
Originally, the transparency rules were set to apply from August 2, 2026. The omnibus proposals extend a grace period of an additional six months (until February 2, 2027) for providers of AI systems released before this date. This extension specifically pertains to the requirement for AI-generated content to be machine-readable and detectable as artificial. However, this delay does not extend to all transparency rules and is less extensive than previously leaked drafts suggested.
- Removal of AI Literacy Requirements
The proposals eliminate the obligation for providers and deployers to ensure their personnel possess adequate levels of AI literacy. Instead, the responsibility now lies with the Commission and member states to promote AI literacy. This change comes as a surprise, given that existing rules had been in place since February 2025 and faced criticism for vagueness.
- Enhanced Authority for the European AI Office
The amendments propose granting more authority to the European AI Office, which will oversee the enforcement of the Act, subject to certain sector-related exceptions.
- Further Simplification Measures
Additional proposed changes aim to simplify digital regulation and enhance EU competitiveness and innovation. These include reducing the regulatory burden on SMEs by lightening technical documentation requirements and simplifying conformity assessments and post-marketing monitoring. The proposals also broaden the exemptions for processing personal data, particularly concerning bias detection and mitigation.
Next Steps
The proposed amendments will undergo a consultation phase and require approval from both the European Parliament and the Council. The legislative process is expected to be challenging and closely scrutinized, particularly given the controversies surrounding changes to data protection law, which could delay the progress of the EU AI Act amendments.
While these changes are likely to be welcomed as a simplification of a complex regulatory framework, they may further contribute to uncertainty for businesses trying to navigate the Act’s requirements and timelines. Organizations impacted by the Act may need to make decisions based on incomplete clarity regarding the nature, scope, and timing of obligations.
