The European Parliament today approved the AI Governance Framework Act by a decisive vote of 523-89, creating the world's most stringent regulatory regime for artificial intelligence.
The legislation, which goes into effect in January 2027, requires all AI systems deployed in the EU to undergo mandatory safety assessments, maintain transparent documentation of training data, and provide clear mechanisms for human oversight.
"This is Europe leading the way on responsible AI development," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "We are showing that innovation and safety can go hand in hand."
Tech industry reaction has been mixed. While larger companies like Google and Microsoft have broadly welcomed the framework, smaller AI startups have expressed concern about compliance costs. The legislation includes a two-year grace period for companies with fewer than 250 employees.
