The AI Act Gets Off to a Flying Start: New Transparency Requirements for Belgian SMEs
September 2026 - A new phase of the European AI Act has been in effect since August 2, 2026. The regulations affect not only developers of AI systems but also virtually every Belgian company that uses artificial intelligence.
The new transparency requirements, in particular, make a significant difference. If you’re an SME currently using AI for communication, customer service, or content creation—and that applies to the vast majority of companies—you must clearly demonstrate when and how AI is being used.
Transparency Is Key
The AI Act is being implemented in phases. Since February 2025, bans on certain AI applications have been in effect, and organizations have been required to invest in AI literacy. Since August 2, 2026, the focus has shifted to transparency. Your SME must communicate openly whenever customers, citizens, or employees interact with AI.
The European legislature’s primary goal is to prevent people from being misled. Anyone communicating with an AI chatbot must be aware of this. Additionally, AI-generated text, images, videos, or audio must be clearly identifiable as such in certain situations. This applies not only to software developers but also to companies that use such applications in their day-to-day operations.
What does this mean in practice for your company?
For many Belgian companies, the AI Act is less about complex technology and more about effective internal organization. Your company does not need to ban ChatGPT, Copilot, or other AI tools, but it must know where and for what purposes they are being used.
A practical approach consists of a few concrete steps:
Take inventory of all AI applications within your organization
Determine which systems interact directly with customers or employees
Inform users when they are interacting with AI
Establish internal guidelines on which AI tools may be used
Ensure that your employees have sufficient knowledge of AI
Regularly verify that AI output is reviewed by an employee before it is published externally
Marketing, HR, communications, and customer service teams, in particular, will need to adapt their work processes. Today, they are among the largest users of generative AI.
Content creation is changing, too
The AI Act has significant implications for organizations that use AI to generate text, images, videos, or audio. Your SME will need to be more transparent about when content is generated entirely or largely by AI. Europe’s goal is to increase consumer trust and combat deception.
This doesn’t mean that every post must include a detailed label, but you will need to be able to demonstrate that you’re using AI responsibly and that human oversight is maintained where necessary.
Don’t Wait for Inspections
Although the strictest rules for high-risk AI will take effect later, August 2, 2026, marks a significant turning point for many companies. Regulators will gain more authority, and companies must be able to demonstrate that they are complying with transparency requirements. The AI Act is thus evolving from a future legal framework into a concrete compliance challenge.
