The EU AI Act in 2025 – What Lawyers Need to Know

In March 2024, the European Union adopted the Artificial Intelligence Act, the world’s first comprehensive legislation regulating AI. Since mid-2025, the Act has begun to reshape the legal and technological landscape—especially for lawyers.

The AI Act introduces a risk-based classification for AI systems, banning “unacceptable-risk” uses such as biometric surveillance and social scoring, while imposing strict obligations on “high-risk” applications, including those used in legal services, justice systems, and public administration. Key requirements include transparency, human oversight, and risk management. Since February 2025, banned systems have been enforceable. Starting August 2025, obligations for general-purpose and high-risk AI will begin to roll out, with phased implementation through 2026–27.

For the legal profession, this law carries significant consequences. Lawyers and firms using AI tools for tasks like document review, contract drafting, or predictive analytics must now perform compliance assessments, document their oversight procedures, and ensure compliance with EU standards—even if based outside the EU. The Act’s extraterritorial scope mirrors that of the GDPR, meaning any lawyer or firm serving EU clients may fall under its purview.

While major tech firms have urged the EU to delay enforcement, the European Commission confirmed in July 2025 that no postponement is planned. Governance bodies, including the newly formed European AI Office and European Artificial Intelligence Board, are now active in overseeing compliance.

For legal practitioners, the AI Act marks a turning point. It compels the profession to lead on AI ethics, adapt workflows, and ensure that legal uses of AI remain grounded in transparency, accountability, and fundamental rights.

As with the GDPR, the EU AI Act is poised to influence legal standards well beyond Europe’s borders—and lawyers should be prepared to navigate this evolving global framework.