EU AI Act: What It Means for Innovation, Compliance, and Building Trust in AI
What does the EU AI Act really mean for businesses, innovation, and society?
At the latest DATA festival in Munich, a panel of experts, moderated by DATA festival Committee Member Dr. Lydia Nemec (Infineon Technologies), addressed this question directly. The panel featured Tomas Klenke (Commerzbank), Michael Schorpp (Boehringer Ingelheim), Kai Zenner (World Economic Forum & EU Parliament), and Dr. Kerstin Bäcker (LAUSEN Lawyers).
Their verdict? The AI Act is not the end of innovation. It is the foundation for trust, transparency, and ethical AI in Europe.
Why Was the AI Act Created?
The AI Act is part of the EU’s Digital Decade strategy, aiming to create a human-centric, value-driven approach to AI. Unlike the U.S. (market-driven) or China (state-driven), the EU focuses on:
- Fundamental rights
- Transparency and safety
- Building trust for innovation
As one panelist put it: “Without trust, there is no adoption. Without adoption, there is no business.”
What’s in the AI Act?
- Prohibited Practices Social scoring, manipulative AI, discriminatory systems.
- Risk-Based Classification High-risk systems face strict requirements.
- Transparency Obligations For example, disclosing AI-generated content or emotional recognition.
Challenges: Complexity and Clarity
The panel also highlighted several challenges:
- Unclear Definitions: What counts as AI? Are simple statistical models included?
- Overlaps & Contradictions: The Act must align with GDPR and sector-specific laws.
- Rapid Tech Evolution: Laws can’t be static.
As one expert noted: “The AI Act is like the skeleton of a house. The walls, windows, and doors still need to be built.”
Why Regulation Is Still Positive
Despite concerns, the consensus was clear:
- It reduces uncertainty: Start-ups can signal compliance and gain investor trust.
- It builds confidence: For businesses, regulators, and society.
- It enables ethical innovation: Principles like human oversight, transparency, and safety become non-negotiable.
“Imagine a world with no regulation. That’s a bigger risk than any compliance effort.”
How Companies Should Respond
- Embrace the Principles: Build governance around transparency, fairness, and accountability.
- Join the Dialogue: Contribute to guidelines, standards, and codes of practice.
- Think Long-Term: Invest in AI compliance capabilities. Roles like AI Officers will become standard.
- Use Regulatory Sandboxes: Collaborate with regulators to shape practical rules.
The Bigger Picture: Europe’s Competitive Edge
The AI Act is not just about compliance. It’s about establishing a European standard for trustworthy AI that the world can adopt.
“If we get this right, trust will become Europe’s competitive advantage.”
Key Takeaway
The AI Act is not the finish line. It’s the starting point of a continuous process, one that requires collaboration between industry, regulators, and society. Because in the end, AI is not just about technology. It’s about people.
Want to Shape the Future of Data and AI?
The speakers in this session applied through the official Call for Presentation for DATA festival. You can apply with your own topic, participate in panel discussions, or even moderate a roundtable session.
The application period for the upcoming DATA festival in Munich (June 16–17, 2026) and DATA festival online (October 21, 2026) is now open: https://barc.com/events/data-festival/data-festival-call-for-presentation/
These events are the perfect opportunity for data and AI enthusiasts to share their expertise, present innovative ideas, and connect with peers.
