EU Artificial Intelligence Act: risks and opportunities for the European system

Abstract

This paper examines the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) as a strategic regulatory response to the rapid and pervasive diffusion of artificial intelligence technologies. Starting from a conceptual framing of AI as an instrument of augmented intelligence rooted in bounded rationality, the contribution highlights how contemporary AI systems adopt satisficing logics through heuristics and large-scale data processing rather than pursuing optimal solutions. The analysis situates the AI Act within the broader EU digital strategy and discusses its risk-based regulatory architecture, which classifies AI systems according to the severity and likelihood of potential harm to fundamental rights, safety, and democratic values. Particular attention is devoted to high-risk AI systems, whose stringent compliance obligations raise significant legal, technical, and economic challenges, especially for SMEs and start-ups. While acknowledging the risks of regulatory rigidity, innovation slowdown, and market entry barriers, the paper also emphasizes the strategic opportunities generated by the AI Act. These include the consolidation of a trustworthy, human-centric AI ecosystem, the strengthening of the Digital Single Market, and the potential emergence of a global regulatory benchmark through the so-called “Brussels effect.” Ultimately, the AI Act is interpreted not merely as a compliance burden, but as a long-term investment capable of transforming regulation into a competitive advantage for the European system.