EU AI Act: Guidelines on Prohibited Practices

The European Commission published guidelines in 2025 outlining prohibited artificial intelligence (AI) practices as defined by Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act). These guidelines clarify the Commission's interpretation of Article 5 of the AI Act, ensuring consistent application across member states from February 2025. The document details specific AI practices considered harmful and in violation of fundamental rights, such as manipulative AI, social scoring, biometric categorisation, and untargeted scraping of facial images. It further addresses exceptions, enforcement, and the interplay with other Union laws, like data protection and non-discrimination regulations. The guidelines are non-binding practical guidance for competent authorities and AI providers to ensure compliance, aiming to protect fundamental rights while promoting innovation. The commission will provide additional support and will review and update the guidelines as needed.