Norway's AI legislation lagging behind EU's new AI Act

The European Union adopted the AI Act in 2024, introducing a phased set of transparency and safety requirements for artificial‑intelligence systems that will be fully in force by August 2028. The law obliges companies to label AI‑generated content and to inform users when they interact with AI tools such as chatbots, with heavy fines for non‑compliance.

Norway plans to align its own AI legislation with the EU framework. A draft law was slated for consultation in the summer of 2024 with an intended start date in the summer of 2026, but the timetable has slipped. The government intends to submit amendments reflecting the EU’s simplification package in the autumn of 2026 and hopes to present a new AI law proposal in spring 2027, pending negotiations on EEA incorporation and the inclusion of the AI regulation in the EEA agreement. Digitalisation and public‑administration minister Karianne Tung confirmed the delay and noted that Norwegian firms must still comply with EU rules when operating in the EU market.

At the same time, Norwegians are among the highest users of AI in Europe, employing the technology for personal finance, writing assistance and even therapeutic conversation. Stories of individuals such as Veronica Alvegg, who used AI to become debt‑free, illustrate the benefits, while concerns persist about job displacement, misinformation, environmental impact and the need for age‑related safeguards on social media. The debate has also entered religious discourse, with references to Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica humanitas” urging ethical reflection on AI’s role in society.