Policy 5 min read

The New EU AI Office: What We Know So Far

The Commission has established the AI Office to oversee general-purpose AI models. What powers does it have, and how will it cooperate with national authorities?

By Dr. Henri Dubois · Published

A New European Regulator

While national authorities will handle most enforcement, the European AI Office (within the Commission) takes center stage for General-Purpose AI (GPAI) models. This centralized approach aims to prevent fragmentation across the Single Market.

Core Responsibilities

  • GPAI Supervision: Directly enforcing rules for powerful models like GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini.
  • Codes of Practice: Facilitating the creation of industry standards and codes of practice to demonstrate compliance.
  • Coordination: Acting as the secretariat for the European Artificial Intelligence Board (EAIB), ensuring member states are on the same page.

Why It Matters

If you are building foundation models, your regulator is in Brussels, not your local capital. For everyone else, the AI Office will set the tone for how "state of the art" is defined and how strict the interpretation of the Act will be.