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AI Literacy

AI literacy is the requirement in the AI Act that everyone who works with AI must have sufficient competencies. The requirement applies from August 2025 and covers developers, users and decision-makers alike.

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What is AI literacy?

AI literacy is about having sufficient knowledge and competencies to understand, use and evaluate AI systems in a responsible manner. In the context of the AI Act, this means that your organisation must actively ensure that employees have the necessary skills to work with AI.

It is not a requirement for everyone to be an AI expert. The level is tailored to each person’s role. An HR employee who uses an AI screening tool needs different knowledge than a developer who trains machine learning models.

Article 4 of the AI Act

AI literacy is defined in Article 4 of the AI Act. The provision is noteworthy because it applies to all organisations that work with AI. There is no exemption based on risk categories.

The Article requires that you, as a provider or deployer of AI, ensure that your personnel and other persons handling AI systems on your behalf have a sufficient level of AI literacy. You must take into account:

The technical knowledge, experience, education and training of the persons concerned
The context in which the AI systems are used
The persons or groups affected by the AI systems

The requirement is similar to the approach you know from security awareness in information security. Just as you train employees to recognise phishing, you must train them to understand AI’s capabilities and limitations.

Who needs AI literacy?

AI literacy applies broadly. Here are the key groups:

Leadership: The board and executive management must understand the AI Act’s requirements and the risks that AI entails. They do not need technical depth, but must be able to make informed decisions about AI strategy and governance.

AI users in the organisation: Employees who use AI tools daily, e.g. for text generation, data analysis or customer service. They must understand when AI output may be unreliable and when human oversight is necessary.

Technical teams: Developers, data scientists and IT departments that build or integrate AI systems. They must understand the requirements for high-risk AI systems and conformity assessments.

Compliance and legal: Employees who must ensure compliance with the AI Act and GDPR. They must understand the interplay between the two regulations, e.g. when an AI system processes personal data.

AI literacy in practice

An AI literacy programme should cover several levels. Start with the basics and build further as needed.

Foundation level (all employees):

What is artificial intelligence and how does it differ from traditional software?
Typical AI risks: bias, hallucinations, data protection
The organisation’s AI policy and guidelines
When to escalate concerns about AI output

Advanced level (AI users and decision-makers):

The AI Act’s requirements and risk categories
Practical training on the specific AI systems the organisation uses
Assessment of AI output and limitations
Requirements for human oversight and monitoring

Use concrete examples from your own organisation. If you use AI in recruitment, show how bias can arise in the screening process. If you use AI for customer service, demonstrate instances where the chatbot gives incorrect answers.

Documenting AI literacy

The AI Act does not prescribe a specific form of documentation, but you should be able to demonstrate that you have taken the requirement seriously. Document at a minimum:

An overview of which roles require which AI competencies
Completed training with dates and participants
Training materials and update frequency
Evaluation results (e.g. quizzes or practical tests)

This documentation follows the same logic as what you may already have for security awareness under your ISMS. Integrate AI literacy into your existing training programmes to avoid parallel systems.

Frequently Asked Questions about AI Literacy

When does the AI literacy requirement apply?

The AI literacy requirement applies from 2 August 2025 as a general requirement for all organisations that use AI systems. It is one of the first requirements in the AI Act to take effect.

Who needs AI literacy?

All employees who develop, use, monitor or make decisions based on AI systems must have sufficient AI literacy. This also applies to management and external partners who handle AI on the organisation’s behalf.

What should an AI literacy programme contain?

The programme should cover fundamental AI understanding, awareness of risks and limitations, understanding of the AI Act’s requirements and practical training on the specific AI systems the organisation uses. The level is tailored to each person’s role.

Is there a certification requirement for AI literacy?

No, the AI Act does not require specific certification. You must be able to demonstrate that you have taken appropriate measures to ensure sufficient competencies, but the form is flexible.

How does AI literacy relate to security awareness training?

AI literacy and security awareness training share the same principle: ensuring employees understand the risks and act responsibly. Many organisations integrate AI literacy into their existing awareness programmes under their ISMS.