As of 2 February 2025, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act requires providers and deployers of AI systems to ensure that everyone involved—from in-house staff to external contractors and even end-users—possesses an appropriate level of AI literacy (art. 4 of AI Act). On 7 May 2025, the European Commission published a set of Frequently Asked Questions to clarify exactly what that means in practice.

What does article 4 of the AI Act provide?

Providers and deployers of AI systems should take measures to ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy of their staff and other persons dealing with the operation and use of AI systems on their behalf. They should do so by taking into account their technical knowledge, experience, education and training of the staff and other persons as well as the context the AI systems are to be used in and the persons on whom the AI systems are to be used.

Why AI Literacy Matters

Ensuring that people understand the AI tools they work with isn’t just about ticking a compliance box. Solid AI literacy underpins:

• Transparency (Article 13): Staff need to grasp how AI systems arrive at decisions so they can explain outputs to regulators and stakeholders.
• Human Oversight (Article 14): Users must be able to identify when something goes wrong, interpret AI recommendations responsibly, and intervene when necessary.

Who’s Covered?

The Commission makes clear that “AI literacy” isn’t limited to AI engineers. Obligations extend to:

• Employees across all functions
• Contractors and service providers supporting AI projects
• Clients and end-users who operate the systems

The key requirement is that literacy be commensurate with each individual’s existing technical knowledge, experience, training and the context in which they engage with AI.

What’s Required—And What Isn’t

• No mandatory exams or certifications. The Commission does not prescribe formal tests or assessment tools, but organizations must “take proactive measures” to verify that their people understand AI sufficiently.
• Tailored training. Especially in high-risk sectors such as finance and healthcare, FAQs explicitly encourage bespoke modules on domain-specific AI use cases and tools (think ChatGPT-style assistants or medical-diagnostic algorithms).
• Ongoing support. It’s not a one-and-done webinar. Firms should embed AI literacy into regular upskilling, performance reviews and tool-specific guides.

The EU AI Office’s Role

The new FAQs confirm that the forthcoming clarifications on Articles 8–25 of the AI Act will cover literacy obligations in depth. Meanwhile, the Commission itself has set an example by:

1. Creating an internal AI portal—a “one-stop shop” for guidelines, training resources, events and news: For more details, please also see the guidelines on AI system definition. The guidelines on AI systems definition were published in addition to the Guidelines on prohibited artificial intelligence (AI) practices, as defined by the AI Act. 

• For the time being information on Commission’s activities in relation to article 4 of the AI Act can be found on the AI Pact webpage, including the recording of the webinar that took place on 20 February and the living repository on AI literacy. gathering examples of initiatives from more than 20 AI Pact pledgers.

A dedicated webpage on AI literacy and skills is under preparation.

2. Segmenting learning packages for generalists, managers and specialist developers, with resources tagged as “essential,” “highly recommended,” or “recommended.”
3. Curating tool-specific libraries—so every staff member can quickly find the right tutorial or best-practice guide for each AI application they use.

Next Steps for Your Organization

1. Audit your people and roles. Map who interacts with AI systems and gauge their current proficiency.
2. Design tiered learning pathways. Align content to both people’s functions (e.g. finance vs. operations) and risk levels in your industry.
3. Build verification into processes. Even without formal tests, include quick self-assessments or manager-led check-ins to confirm comprehension.
4. Stay tuned for the EU AI Office’s detailed rule-book on Articles 8–25, due later this year.

🔗 You can read the full set of AI literacy FAQs on the European Commission’s website: AI Literacy – Questions & Answers