The AI Act is the European regulation on AI. The deadline that concerns you: August 2026. Here is the minimal checklist for an SME.
The checklist
- Name an AI referent. One person, not a committee. They own the topic.
- Inventory the usage. Who uses what, with which data. Especially free personal accounts, the shadow AI.
- Write two pages of rules. What is allowed, what is not, where sensitive data goes.
- Train at a baseline (Article 4). Your teams must understand the tools they use. A documented baseline is enough.
- Check transparency. If an AI talks to your clients or generates content, say so clearly.
- Trace sensitive uses. CV screening, scoring, health advice: keep a record of who decides what.
What it saves you
The day a client, a partner or an audit asks the question, you have an answer. Not a blank.
The right order
Start with the referent and the inventory. The rest follows. You do not need to do it all in a week, but start now, because these moves take time to settle in.