EU AI Act Article 4: AI literacy and practical steps for businesses in 2026

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 the people working with those systems. Preparation should reflect who uses each tool, what they use it for and the possible consequences of a mistake.

What does Article 4 mean for a business?

In everyday work, AI literacy includes recognising the limitations of an AI response, knowing what data can be used in a particular tool and judging when to check a result or ask for help.

Article 4 is not limited to developers. It covers an organisation's staff and other people who operate or use AI systems on its behalf. Measures should take account of their existing knowledge and experience, the context in which the systems are used and the people who may be affected by that use. AI Act, Article 3(56) and Article 4

A marketer writing advertising copy needs different practice from someone summarising customer complaints or checking a financial report. The team may share a foundation in AI, but workplace examples should reflect the participants' actual tasks.

What changed in 2026?

The original Article 4 provisions have applied since 2 February 2025. Amending Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, the Digital Omnibus on AI, entered into force on 27 July 2026 and replaced the article on AI literacy. The current duty is to support the development of AI literacy. It explicitly excludes any requirement for an organisation to guarantee a particular level of literacy for an individual. Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, Article 1(5) and Article 4

The revised wording also sets out supporting responsibilities for the Commission and Member States: they must help organisations, particularly SMEs, fulfil their obligation. AI Act, Article 4(2)–(3)

For businesses, this is a reason to review both the content and delivery of their preparation. An existing training programme may remain useful, but its legal rationale and associated claims should be checked against the current provisions.

Must you buy a course or an AI Act certificate?

The Commission's guidance says there is no single training format required of every organisation, and no specific certificate is needed for Article 4. Internal training, guidance and other measures suited to the organisation can support AI literacy. European Commission: AI Literacy – Questions & Answers

Corporate AI training can be useful when a team needs shared foundations, practical exercises and guidance on its own tools. A certificate of completion records that a participant has completed the training.

When choosing a course, look at what participants will work with, which mistakes they will learn to recognise and what support they will receive in applying their learning to daily work.

Practical steps for preparing your team

The workflow below is a practical suggestion. The documents and exercises described here are not mandatory forms or examinations prescribed by Article 4.

Map where AI is used in your business. List the tools, tasks and teams involved. A short table is a useful starting point: which role uses AI for what purpose, what data it handles and who checks the results. Conversations with staff can also reveal uses that the IT team does not yet know about.

Next, choose situations your colleagues actually encounter. For example:

Prepare examples that are safe to use in the exercises. Make sure participants use company-approved tools during training and follow the organisation's data handling rules. The session is also an opportunity to resolve uncertainties: what information can be entered, who can answer questions and which results require human approval.

Leave time for discussion. When someone corrects an AI response, ask how they spotted the mistake. This can show whether they can apply the method independently or need another example. It is feedback to support learning. Article 4 does not impose a general mandatory knowledge assessment. The Commission's guidance on measuring knowledge

What should you record about the measures taken?

The Commission says organisations can keep internal records of training and other guidance provided to staff. AI literacy questions and answers: documentation

A simple record can bring together the training objective, date, participants and syllabus. It can also include the exercises, shared guides and questions that still need attention. This makes it easier to plan the next session and prepare new colleagues.

Review the programme when the business introduces a new AI tool, a task changes substantially or a recurring mistake emerges. There is no need to repeat the entire foundation course every time. A short demonstration, a new exercise or a clearer internal guide may provide the support needed.

How can QvAI training help?

QvAI's AI literacy training for EU AI Act Article 4 starts with your organisation's use of AI and the tasks of the people involved. We review the tools in use, participants' existing knowledge and the risks they encounter in practice, then adapt the syllabus accordingly.

If your team mainly needs help with daily work, our practical corporate AI training uses emails, documents, research tasks and reports. The programme can be arranged as a three-to-four-hour workshop, a full-day course or a series of sessions.

QvAI is an adult training provider registered in Hungary's FAR system under registration number B/2026/000648. We handle the reporting associated with our courses and issue certificates of completion to participants who meet the course requirements.

Request a training plan for your team. Simply tell us how many colleagues need preparation, which AI tools they use and which tasks they need help with.

This article provides general information based on EU sources checked on the date shown. Assessing an organisation's full legal compliance also requires examining its specific uses of AI.