For more on putting this into practice, see my AI training for companies.
What Article 4 actually says
The EU's AI regulation, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, is coming into application in stages. Its Article 4 requires providers and deployers of AI systems to take measures to ensure, to their best extent, a sufficient level of AI literacy of their staff and other persons dealing with the operation and use of AI systems on their behalf. This obligation has been applicable since 2 February 2025.
The text does not set a required format, a minimum duration, or a mandatory certification. It requires an outcome: that people who use AI at work understand its possibilities and its limits. This guide does not replace legal advice: to assess your specific situation, consult a lawyer specialising in digital law.
What Article 4 does not require
Contrary to a common assumption, Article 4 does not set a specific fine, does not require a set number of training hours, and does not list authorised tools. It also does not apply in the same way depending on whether a company is a provider or simply a deployer of an AI system. Implementation details and enforcement are matters for the relevant national authorities, which have not yet published detailed guidance on this point.
| Question | What Article 4 says | What it does not say |
|---|---|---|
| Who is covered | Providers and deployers of AI systems | No stated headcount threshold |
| Since when | Applicable since 2 February 2025 | No published enforcement timeline |
| What level of training | A "sufficient" level, to best extent possible | No set number of hours |
| Penalties | Not specified in the article | No published figure to date |
Why real training still matters, beyond compliance
Beyond the text, training has a measurable effect. In BCG's AI at Work 2025 survey of more than 10,600 employees in 11 countries, only 36% of employees feel properly trained in AI, and 79% of those who received more than five hours of training use AI regularly, compared with 67% of the others. A well-designed training therefore serves two purposes at once: demonstrating an AI literacy effort, and producing teams that genuinely use it.
How to build a credible response to Article 4
Actually train your teams. A short, practical session is worth more than an internal memo with no follow-up.
Document the process. Dates, content and participants of training sessions.
Set written usage rules. An AI usage policy formalises what teams can and cannot do.
Target the most exposed roles first. Teams who use AI daily, such as customer service or marketing, need it first.
Format
This training is delivered in-house, as a half day or a full 7-hour day, online or on-site on request. See the pricing page for details. To choose the right format for your team, also see the guide How to choose AI training.