EU probes OpenAI and Google in first major AI Act enforcement
The European Commission's AI Office has launched its first formal investigation under the EU AI Act. More than 30 companies, including OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, are now required to respond to formal requests for information.
What happened?
On September 1, 2026, the newly established EU AI Office issued formal requests for information to more than 30 leading AI companies. The entities under scrutiny include industry giants such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. This constitutes the first formal enforcement action under the EU AI Act since core obligations came into force on August 2, 2026.
Key facts
| Granskade bolag | Över 30 stycken (inkl. OpenAI, Google, Anthropic) |
|---|---|
| Maximalt bötesbelopp | Upp till 3 % av global årsomsättning |
| Datum för åtgärd | 1 september 2026 |
| Ikraftträdande av AI Act | 2 augusti 2026 |
Why it matters
The investigation marks the transition from legislation to practical enforcement within the European Union. With potential fines of up to 3 percent of a company's global annual turnover, the EU is placing significant pressure on tech conglomerates to demonstrate how their systems comply with regulations regarding transparency, copyright, and risk management.
Who is affected?
The action directly affects developers of large-scale AI models, such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. By extension, it impacts European companies and developers building services on these models, as AI providers may be forced to modify their data models or implement extensive transparency measures.
Impact on the EU
As the European Commission is the driving party in this matter, the entire EU market is directly affected. The decision demonstrates that the AI Act's enforcement mechanisms are now active and that global corporations can no longer rely on a transition period.
What else you should know
The request for information is the first formal step in the investigative process. Should companies fail to provide sufficient information or intentionally submit incorrect data, they risk fines of up to 3 percent of their global annual turnover.
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