Sustainability & AI
EU AI Act
The European Union's risk-based regulation of AI systems, including transparency and reporting duties with environmental dimensions.
Definition
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 — the European Union's comprehensive, risk-based law on artificial intelligence, in force since 1 August 2024 with obligations phasing in to 2028.
Quick reference
At a glance
- Subject
- Sustainability & AI
- Editorial status
- Editorial draft
- Definition status
- Established
- Last updated
- 21 August 2026
References
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Overview
What it means
The Act bans a small set of unacceptable-risk practices, imposes requirements on high-risk systems, and creates transparency duties for general-purpose AI models — including documenting known or estimated energy consumption (Annex XI).
Environmental provisions are otherwise modest: Article 40 tasks standards work with AI resource performance, and Article 95 encourages voluntary codes covering environmental sustainability. A 2026 'Digital Omnibus' deferred some high-risk deadlines.
How it is used
Providers and deployers map their systems to the Act's risk tiers; GPAI model providers compile Annex XI technical documentation; the European AI Office supervises GPAI obligations. Penalties reach €35 million or 7% of turnover for banned practices and €15 million or 3% for most other violations.
Why it matters
The AI Act is the first comprehensive horizontal AI law, and its treatment of energy documentation — however limited — is the first time AI's environmental cost has entered binding tech regulation. Its gaps (no carbon accounting, authority-only disclosure) define the frontier for follow-up policy.
Current status
GPAI obligations apply since 2 Aug 2025; Digital Omnibus (final Council approval June 2026) defers high-risk duties to Dec 2027/Aug 2028.
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