General-Purpose AI Code of Practice

The European AI Office is facilitating the drawing-up of the Code, chaired by independent experts, involving nearly 1000 stakeholders, as well as EU Member States representatives, European and international observers.

Why a Code of Practice for General-Purpose AI?

General-purpose AI models can perform a wide range of tasks and are becoming the basis for many AI systems in the EU. Some of these models could carry systemic risks if they are very capable or widely used. To ensure safe and trustworthy AI, the AI Act puts in place rules for providers of such models. This includes transparency and copyright-related rules. For models that may carry systemic risks, providers should assess and mitigate these risks.

The AI Act rules on general-purpose AI will become effective in August 2025. The AI Office is facilitating the drawing-up of a Code of Practice to detail out these rules. The Code should represent a central tool for providers to demonstrate compliance with the AI Act, incorporating state-of-the-art practices.

How is the Code of Practice being drawn-up?

The Code will be prepared in an iterative drafting process by April 2025, 9 months after the AI Act’s entry into force on 1 August 2024. On 30 September, the AI Office hosted the Kick-off Event for the Code of Practice Plenary involving nearly 1000 participants, including a high number of professional organisations. These are the eligible respondents to the call to participate in the drawing-up launched by the AI Office on 30 July 2024.

The plenary is structured in four working groups on specific topics. Following the kick-off Plenary, the participants will convene three times virtually for drafting rounds with discussions organised in working groups. For each of the working groups, discussions are facilitated by chairs and vice-chairs, who were selected and appointed by the AI Office from interested independent experts. Participants can express comments during each of those meetings or within two weeks in writing.

The Code is drafted in an inclusive and transparent process, with a variety of interested stakeholders involved: general-purpose AI model providers, downstream providers, industry organisations, civil society, rightsholders and other entities, as well as academia and independent experts.

As the main addressees of the Code, providers of general-purpose AI models are invited to dedicated workshops with the Chairs and Vice-Chairs, contributing to informing each iterative drafting round, in addition to their Plenary participation. The first workshop took place on 23 October 2024. The AI Office is ensuring transparency into these discussions.

Close involvement of EU Member States representatives is ensured throughout the process, via the AI Board. The AI Office also invited other public bodies and agencies from all over the world working on risk assessment and mitigation for general-purpose AI models to the Plenary as observers.

The AI Office plays a pivotal role throughout the process. By facilitating the drawing-up, coordinating the discussions and documenting the outcomes, the AI Office guarantees that the Chairs, Vice-Chairs, and all the participants in the Plenary have access to the information and can contribute meaningfully. This oversight helps maintain an open and collaborative environment, fostering trust and accountability in the development of the Code of Practice.