AI at work, by profession
The EU AI Act after the July 2026 changes: AI literacy, the new dates and UK businesses
What the Act asks on AI literacy, which dates moved in July 2026, and when a UK organisation is within its reach.
Checked against the published sources on 2 October 2026.
The short answer
The EU AI Act is not UK law. It reaches a UK organisation that places an AI system on the EU market, puts one into service there, or whose system's output is used in the EU. Since 2 February 2025 it has carried an AI literacy duty, reworded from 27 July 2026 as a duty to take measures to support the AI literacy of staff. The main high risk duties now apply from 2 December 2027 and 2 August 2028.
- AI literacy duty
- Applies since 2 February 2025
- Amended
- 27 July 2026
- Transparency rules
- Applied from 2 August 2026
- High risk duties
- 2 December 2027 and 2 August 2028
How the Act sorts AI
By risk. A short list of banned practices, such as social scoring and emotion recognition of staff at work. A set of high risk uses with heavy duties, including recruitment and education. Transparency rules for systems that talk to people or generate content. And everything else.
What the literacy duty asks
As amended, providers and deployers must take measures to support the AI literacy of their staff and of others using AI systems on their behalf. Before 27 July 2026 the wording was to ensure a sufficient level. Training material written before then is out of date on this point.
The UK position
The UK relies on existing law, including data protection rules on automated decisions that changed in February 2026. A UK firm with no EU customers, staff or users is outside the Act, though its own customers may still ask for evidence that staff have been trained.
This page explains what the rule says. It is not legal, regulatory, clinical or financial advice on your own position. Rules change, so read the sources listed beside it, and tell us at hello@wajd.co.uk if something here is out of date.
Learn it properly, free
This guide is the summary. The course teaches it in full, with a video conversation, worked scenarios and a knowledge check after each module. Every module is free to read with no account. A certificate, if you want one once you pass, is £9.
Cyber and AI regulation · 1.5 CPD hours
The EU AI Act and AI literacy at work
Questions people ask
Does the EU AI Act apply in the UK?
It is not UK law. It applies to a UK organisation that places an AI system on the EU market or puts one into service there, and where the output of its system is used in the EU.
Was the AI literacy duty removed in 2026?
No. It was reworded. Providers and deployers must now take measures to support AI literacy.
When do the high risk rules apply?
For stand-alone high risk systems, from 2 December 2027. For AI built into products covered by product safety law, from 2 August 2028.
Does a training certificate prove compliance?
No. It shows a named person completed AI literacy training on a given date, which is useful evidence that measures were taken.