As technology evolves, the challenges in ensuring product safety, particularly with the emergence of AI-driven products, increase synchronously. Due to their interconnectivity, self-learning capabilities, and greater exposure to cybersecurity vulnerabilities, such products pose new risks and concerns that have long been on the radar of policymakers in the EU. The AI Act, which entered into force on 1 August 2024, addresses these challenges by introducing specific requirements for AI systems and models to ensure their safety. However, the EU already has a comprehensive product safety framework, which the AI Act may supplement if AI-enabled products are concerned.

Therefore, understanding the intricate relationship between this product safety framework and the AI Act is crucial for complying with both the requirements of the AI Act and those of product safety, and for safeguarding the well-being of EU citizens. In this blog post, we will explore the EU’s legislative framework on product safety and the interplay of the AI Act with this framework.