EU AI Act: What should the public sector do?

Resumen

The deployment of AI in the public sector promises greater efficiency and reduced bureaucracy, but also raises serious concerns about its potential impact on individual rights and societal structures. Aware of such high stakes, the EU AI Act imposes stringent compliance obligations on public entities, particularly in relation to high-risk AI systems. Compliance demands a systematic inventory of AI systems, clear identification of institutional roles (provider or deployer), risk classification, and the adoption of robust organizational and technical safeguards. Timely implementation is critical to ensuring legal alignment with instruments such as the GDPR, protecting fundamental rights, and reinforcing public trust while modernizing administrative processes.