Guide: AI literacy under Article 4 of the EU AI Act

AI literacy: what Article 4 requires since July 2026.

The obligation has stayed, but become milder — and it applies to almost every company that uses AI.

This guide shows the wording, who it applies to, what an appropriate measure is and what training should cover. It is not legal advice; in an individual case, your own lawyers decide.

Article 4 of the EU AI Act requires providers and deployers of AI systems to take measures that support the development of AI literacy among their staff. Since 27 July 2026 the milder wording of Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 applies: nobody has to guarantee a specific level of AI literacy, but measures are still needed — adapted to prior knowledge, role and purpose. Almost every company that uses AI systems at work is a deployer.

  • WORDING SINCE 27.07.2026
  • FOUR STEPS
  • WHAT TRAINING COVERS
AT A GLANCE

AI literacy: the essentials first.

KEY POINTS
  • Article 4 of the EU AI Act requires providers and deployers to take measures that support the AI literacy of their staff.
  • Since 27 July 2026 the milder wording applies: nobody has to guarantee a specific level of AI literacy for any individual.
  • Almost every company that uses AI systems at work is a deployer — a chat assistant in the office counts too.
  • Which measure fits depends on prior knowledge, role, purpose and the people on whom the AI is used.
  • The article does not explicitly require a record of what was done. It is still the simplest evidence.
THE WORDING

What Article 4 says since 27 July 2026.

Providers and deployers of AI systems take measures to support the development of AI literacy among their staff and other persons dealing with the operation and use of AI systems on their behalf, taking into account their technical knowledge, experience, education and training, the context the AI systems are to be used in, and the persons or groups of persons on whom they are to be used. The obligation does not require providers or deployers to guarantee a specific level of AI literacy for any individual.

That is the substance of Article 4(1) as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, published in the Official Journal on 24 July 2026 and in force since 27 July 2026. Under paragraph 2, the Commission and the Member States support companies in this, small and medium-sized ones in particular, and the Commission publishes practical examples.

BEFORE AND AFTER

What changed on 27 July 2026.

The reason is given in recital 8 of the amending regulation: strict obligations did not suit all companies and weighed on smaller ones in particular.

Until 26 July 2026
  • measures to ensure, to their best extent, a sufficient level of AI literacy of staff
  • applied since 2 February 2025
  • a level someone had to have reached
Since 27 July 2026
  • measures that support the development of AI literacy
  • no specific level that has to be guaranteed for any individual
  • the same criteria: knowledge, experience, training, purpose, affected persons
  • support from the Commission and Member States, especially for SMEs
WHO IT APPLIES TO

Who Article 4 applies to.

The article is addressed to providers and deployers of AI systems. A deployer is anyone who uses an AI system under their own authority; only personal, non-professional use is excluded. That covers almost every company using AI day to day — from a chat assistant in the office to image analysis in quality inspection.

It covers not only your own staff, but also other people who work with the system on the company's behalf, such as agency workers or service providers.

PROVIDERWho develops and offers AI systemsSupports the AI literacy of its own staff — and gives its customers what they need for theirs.
DEPLOYERWho uses AI systems at workSupports the AI literacy of those who operate and use the system on its behalf.
IN PRACTICE

Appropriate measures in four steps.

The article does not prescribe a specific course. It names criteria — from them follows what suits which role.

  1. STEP 1 · INVENTORY01Which AI systems, for what?A list of the systems in the company, their purpose and the areas that work with them.
  2. STEP 2 · ROLES02Who needs what?Someone who only asks needs something different from someone who passes on results or sets up the system. The distinction is by role, not by person.
  3. STEP 3 · TEACH03Brief, train, explain in the toolA short briefing, training for roles with more responsibility, clear usage rules and notes right in the tool.
  4. STEP 4 · RECORD04Write it down and repeatWhat was done for which role, and when. Start again for new systems and new employees.
CONTENT

What AI literacy training should cover.

The regulation describes AI literacy as the knowledge to deploy AI systems in an informed way and to be aware of their opportunities and risks. For most roles that means:

1What AI can and cannot doIt phrases and finds, but it can be wrong — even when the answer sounds certain.
2Checking resultsWhere does the answer come from? Anyone passing on what an AI produced checks it first.
3Which data may go inWhat belongs in which tool and what does not, such as secrets, customer data, personnel data.
4Not letting it assess peopleNo decision about people based on an AI output without a person checking and deciding.
5Rules in the companyUsage policy, works agreement, approved tools — and who helps with questions.
6Reporting errorsWhere to go if an answer was wrong, offensive or odd — so that someone fixes it.
WITH EXPLICIO

How Explicio helps.

Explicio states on every channel that an AI is answering, and explains on its own card in the workspace what the assistant can and cannot do. Administrators see on a transparency page which models are used and which data is processed for what. Every answer names its source — checking becomes part of the work, not an extra exercise.

For the briefing itself, Explicio Campus offers training under Article 4, tailored to the roles in the business.

Explicio Campus →Request training →

QUESTIONS

Frequently asked.

Is there a training obligation under Article 4?

Article 4 does not prescribe a specific course. It requires measures that support the development of AI literacy — training is the obvious form, but briefings, usage rules and help within the tool count as well.

Since when does Article 4 apply?

The first version applied from 2 February 2025. The milder version of Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 has applied since 27 July 2026, without a transition period.

Does Article 4 apply to small companies too?

Yes, to all providers and deployers. The Commission and the Member States are to support small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, and the Commission publishes practical examples.

Is there a fine if nothing is done?

The regulation sets no specific fine for Article 4. Penalties for infringements — fines, warnings or other measures — are laid down by the Member States (Art. 99(1)). In an individual case, your lawyers can clarify this.

Does the training have to be documented?

The article does not explicitly require it. A short note of who learned what and when is still the simplest way to answer a question from the authority or the works council.

Does a chat assistant in the office count?

Yes. Anyone using an AI system at work is a deployer; only personal, non-professional use is excluded.

NEXT STEP

Training and tool from one source.

Campus trains your team under Article 4 — and in Explicio everyone sees, while working, where an answer comes from.

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