Zijn gemeenten klaar voor de implementatie van de AI Act?

Are municipalities ready for the implementation of the AI act? The AI Act, introduced by the European Union and effective from 1 August 2024, aims to standardise and regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure reliability, safety and respect for fundamental rights, while fostering innovation. This legislation, which will come into full force in 2026, has important implications for Dutch municipalities using AI technology. A study conducted by students from University of Applied Sciences NHL Stenden in collaboration with the lectorate ‘Governance and Safety in a Digitalising Society’ investigated the level of preparation and awareness among municipalities through a survey (at two points in time) and three in-depth interviews with municipalities. The findings showed that while a majority of municipalities are aware of the obligations of the AI Act, the majority still need to take action to comply with (future) legislation. Only 24% of municipalities have implemented changes to comply with the requirements at the time of the study (December 2023 to July 2024). The research also illustrates the challenges and differences in the level of preparedness between different municipalities and highlights the need for increased compliance and education efforts regarding AI-related risks and ethical aspects.