How to read this finding
This is a historical account, not current legal guidance. Military examples should not be treated as proof that every stage of targeting or decision-making was autonomous.
What was the EU AI Act in 2021?
It was a proposed risk-based law aimed at regulating AI uses, with different requirements according to the risks described in the proposal.
Evidence you can use
Politics in the 2021 report
Historical snapshot: October 2021. Dates and populations are specified per row.
| Measure | Reported value | Definition and source |
|---|---|---|
| EU AI Act proposal | April 2021 | Proposal timing; not the date of a final enacted law.2021 report, slide 166 (PDF page 166) |
| Risk groupings in the report | Prohibited, high-risk, low-risk | The report’s summary of the proposal, not a statement of current law.2021 report, slide 166 (PDF page 166) |
| Military example | AI-guided drone swarm | Deployment example reported in the 2021 deck.2021 report, slide 175 (PDF page 175) |
This is a historical account, not current legal guidance. Military examples should not be treated as proof that every stage of targeting or decision-making was autonomous.
Sources and dates
Historical snapshot published October 12, 2021. This web edition was prepared on 2026-10-11 from the online deck and original launch posts. Findings and forecasts retain their original time frame.
- 2021 report, slide 166 (PDF page 166)Original 2021 report. Printed slide numbers match PDF pages.
- 2021 report, slide 175 (PDF page 175)Original 2021 report. Printed slide numbers match PDF pages.
- State of AI Report 2021: online slides
- Air Street Press launch essayOctober 12, 2021.
- Welcome to State of AI Report 2021Original website launch post, October 12, 2021.
Cite this page
Benaich, Nathan, and Ian Hogarth. “What was the EU AI Act in 2021?” State of AI Report 2021. Historical report snapshot; web edition prepared 2026-10-11.