AI Office
In plain wordsThe European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe.
The unit of the European Commission, set up in 2024 within its Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), that does most of the Commission's work of putting the EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models. into effect and policing it. It enforces the rules for general-purpose AI modelsgeneral-purpose AI model, n.: The EU's legal name for the large, adaptable AI models behind chatbots and similar tools: models that can turn their hand to many different jobs and be built into many other products. — requesting documentation, conducting evaluations, requiring mitigations and, since August 2026, imposing fines — and facilitated the General-Purpose AI Code of PracticeGeneral-Purpose AI Code of Practice, prop. n.: A voluntary rulebook, published by the EU in 2025, that makers of large AI models can sign to show they follow the EU AI Act's rules on transparency, copyright and safety.. It drafts guidelines, templates and implementing acts, supports the European Artificial Intelligence BoardEuropean Artificial Intelligence Board, prop. n.: A committee of representatives from every EU country that helps apply the EU AI Act consistently across Europe and advises the European Commission., works with a scientific panel of independent experts that can send it 'qualified alerts' about systemic risks, and represents the EU in international cooperation on AI safety. The 2026 Digital OmnibusDigital Omnibus, prop. n.: A European Union package, proposed in 2025, that simplified and delayed parts of its digital rules — above all pushing back the strictest requirements of the EU AI Act by more than a year. made it the exclusive supervisor of AI systems built on a provider's own general-purpose model and of AI integrated into very large online platforms and search engines, with powers of investigation, inspection, binding commitments and periodic penalty payments of up to 5% of average daily turnover.
The AI Office asked the provider for its model evaluation results within two weeks.
Origin
Established by a Commission Decision of 24 January 2024, months before the AI Act was adopted, and built partly from existing DG CNECT units on AI; the Act refers to it in Article 64. Lucilla Sioli was appointed its first head.
Usage note
In the Act, references to the AI Office are to be read as references to the Commission. Not to be confused with national AI safety institutesAI Safety Institute, n.: A government agency that tests the most advanced AI models for dangerous abilities and studies how to make them safe. Britain and the United States set up the first ones in 2023., although the Office represents the EU in their international network.
Related
- EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models.
- general-purpose AI modelgeneral-purpose AI model, n.: The EU's legal name for the large, adaptable AI models behind chatbots and similar tools: models that can turn their hand to many different jobs and be built into many other products.
- General-Purpose AI Code of PracticeGeneral-Purpose AI Code of Practice, prop. n.: A voluntary rulebook, published by the EU in 2025, that makers of large AI models can sign to show they follow the EU AI Act's rules on transparency, copyright and safety.
- European Artificial Intelligence BoardEuropean Artificial Intelligence Board, prop. n.: A committee of representatives from every EU country that helps apply the EU AI Act consistently across Europe and advises the European Commission.
- AI Safety InstituteAI Safety Institute, n.: A government agency that tests the most advanced AI models for dangerous abilities and studies how to make them safe. Britain and the United States set up the first ones in 2023.
- Digital OmnibusDigital Omnibus, prop. n.: A European Union package, proposed in 2025, that simplified and delayed parts of its digital rules — above all pushing back the strictest requirements of the EU AI Act by more than a year.
Defined in law or standards
EU AI Act (Reg. (EU) 2024/1689), Art. 3(47) and Art. 64; supervision of general-purpose models Arts. 88–94; Arts. 75–75d as amended by Reg. (EU) 2026/1744
Mentioned in
AI Safety InstituteAI Safety Institute, n.: A government agency that tests the most advanced AI models for dangerous abilities and studies how to make them safe. Britain and the United States set up the first ones in 2023., EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models., general-purpose AI modelgeneral-purpose AI model, n.: The EU's legal name for the large, adaptable AI models behind chatbots and similar tools: models that can turn their hand to many different jobs and be built into many other products., AI regulatory sandboxAI regulatory sandbox, n.: A supervised testing ground where companies can try out new AI with regulators watching and advising, before the product faces the full weight of the rules., Digital OmnibusDigital Omnibus, prop. n.: A European Union package, proposed in 2025, that simplified and delayed parts of its digital rules — above all pushing back the strictest requirements of the EU AI Act by more than a year., General-Purpose AI Code of PracticeGeneral-Purpose AI Code of Practice, prop. n.: A voluntary rulebook, published by the EU in 2025, that makers of large AI models can sign to show they follow the EU AI Act's rules on transparency, copyright and safety., general-purpose AI model with systemic riskgeneral-purpose AI model with systemic risk, n.: The EU's label for the very largest and most capable AI models, whose failure or misuse could cause harm across society, so their makers must test them for dangers and report serious incidents., serious incidentserious incident, n.: Under EU AI law, an AI failure that kills or badly injures someone, disrupts vital services, violates fundamental rights or seriously damages property — which the maker must report to authorities quickly., AI PactAI Pact, prop. n.: A voluntary European Commission scheme in which companies pledge to start following the EU AI Act's main ideas early, before the rules legally apply to them., Digital Services ActDigital Services Act, prop. n.: The EU law that sets rules for online platforms and search engines — how they handle illegal content, explain their recommendation algorithms and manage the risks their services create for society., European Artificial Intelligence BoardEuropean Artificial Intelligence Board, prop. n.: A committee of representatives from every EU country that helps apply the EU AI Act consistently across Europe and advises the European Commission., fundamental rights impact assessmentfundamental rights impact assessment, n.: A check that certain organizations must make before using a high-risk AI system, writing down whose rights it could affect, how, and what they will do to prevent harm., market surveillance authoritymarket surveillance authority, n.: The government body in each EU country that checks AI systems on the market, investigates complaints, and can order unsafe or unlawful AI to be fixed or withdrawn.