The EU AI Act is the world’s first horizontal and standalone law governing the commercialization and use of AI, and a landmark piece of legislation for the EU. Among the various provisions of the EU AI Act, the “AI literacy” principle is an often overlooked but key obligation which requires organizations to ensure that staff who are involved in the operation and use of AI have the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to adequately assess AI-related risks and opportunities (e.g., through training and hiring staff with the appropriate background and skillset). This obligation – which applies from February 2, 2025 – is one of the few obligations under the EU AI Act that applies to all AI systems i.e., irrespective of the level of risk that the AI system presents. Indeed, by introducing AI literacy as one of the first provisions of the AI Act (Article 4), the EU legislators appear to underscore the significance of this requirement.

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