The European Union has finalized the enforcement framework for its AI Act, clarifying how regulators will classify high-risk systems and audit providers. The rules introduce phased compliance deadlines and substantial penalties for violations. Companies deploying AI in hiring, credit, and critical infrastructure will face documentation, transparency, and human-oversight requirements. Industry groups welcomed the clarity while warning that smaller developers may struggle with compliance costs. Legal experts say the framework will likely become a de facto global standard, much as the bloc's data-protection regime did, prompting multinational firms to align worldwide.