The European Commission is preparing amendments to the AI Act to ensure legal certainty, as EU Tech Chief Henna Virkkunen seeks to address growing industry concerns over compliance timelines and regulatory complexity. Speaking at the Web Summit 2025 in Lisbon, Virkkunen said that targeted changes to the law will be presented next week to “provide clarity, stability, and predictability” for companies developing and deploying artificial intelligence across Europe.
The AI Act, adopted earlier this year, is the world’s first comprehensive regulatory framework for artificial intelligence. But delays in setting technical standards and legal ambiguities surrounding implementation have created uncertainty for both regulators and businesses. The planned amendments to the AI Act aim to provide legal certainty and facilitate a smooth transition.
According to Commission officials, the upcoming amendments will likely include:
A grace period of up to 12 months for companies to meet compliance obligations.
Simplified risk-classification processes for smaller firms and startups.
Greater centralization of oversight under the European Artificial Intelligence Office to ensure uniform enforcement across member states.
Industry groups, including tech associations and AI startups, have urged Brussels to clarify areas of uncertainty in the law, warning that unclear guidelines could hinder innovation. However, several member states and civil society groups have cautioned against weakening the core human-rights safeguards built into the regulation.
The push for amendments to the AI Act for legal certainty underscores Europe’s broader struggle to strike a balance between innovation and accountability. Experts note that while predictability is vital for investment, excessive flexibility could create loopholes for high-risk AI systems, especially in surveillance and employment sectors.
Speculatively, policymakers may use this revision cycle to introduce AI sandboxes—controlled environments for testing new systems safely within legal limits. If adopted, this could give European innovators a competitive edge while maintaining ethical guardrails.
The European Commission is expected to unveil the complete draft of amendments to the AI Act, aiming for legal certainty, by the end of November, setting the stage for a fresh round of political debate over the future of AI governance in Europe.
