<p>The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) reshaped how organizations approach personal data and remains a core obligation for data teams. The EU AI Act adds another regulatory layer covering the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence systems.</p> <p>The AI Act entered into force in 2024 and applies in stages. Prohibited AI practices and AI-literacy obligations began applying in February 2025. Governance rules and obligations for general-purpose AI models followed in August 2025, while transparency requirements took effect in August 2026. Following the AI Omnibus amendments, requirements for high-risk use cases listed in Annex III apply from 2 December 2027, while requirements for high-risk systems embedded in regulated products under Annex I apply from 2 August 2028.</p> <p>Together, GDPR and the AI Act create overlapping obligations across data collection, processing, model development, deployment, and automated decision-making. Data teams should treat them as connected architectural and governance requirements rather than isolated compliance projects</p>