Solutions & Challenges of AI Practitioners in AI Act Compliance

The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act is a new regulation aimed at ensuring the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence systems within the EU. This paper investigates the practical impact of the AI Act on the work of AI practitioners. We conducted a qualitative study based on seven semi-structured interviews with AI experts. Our results show organisations face considerable uncertainty when it comes to integrating the new regulatory requirements into their provision processes. In the technical area, the need for transparency and explainability of AI systems and the use of monitoring systems are emphasised. The study also provides insights into initial solutions that organisations are pursuing to overcome these challenges. Our findings extend previous research by providing empirical account from an experts perspective for prevailing challenges. Moreover, our study provides practical implications as well as avenues for future research, i.e. to align practice and legal practice better by standards, tools, and processes.