EU AI Act compliance software for SMEs
The EU AI Act requires businesses that use AI to know which systems they deploy, what risk class they fall into, and what measures are in place. ComplianceHive helps you build and maintain that AI inventory — without an enterprise implementation project.
Free to start, no credit card required. You pay per tool, not per user.
What does the EU AI Act require from your organisation?
The EU AI Act sets rules for how AI can be developed and used in Europe. As an SME, you are almost certainly a deployer — a business that uses AI tools rather than builds them. Your obligations are more concrete than you might think: know which AI you use, understand its risk class, and have the right measures in place.
The regulation works with four risk categories: unacceptable risk (banned), high risk, limited risk, and minimal risk. Some AI tools that SMEs use daily fall under high risk — think AI in recruitment, AI supporting credit decisions, or AI in safety processes. Chatbots and generative AI carry transparency obligations. Spam filters and recommendation engines need no extra compliance steps.
The problem for most SMEs: they do not know exactly which AI they are using, let alone what risk class it falls into. That is where compliance gaps start. Read more about EU AI Act obligations for SMEs.
Where SMEs get stuck with the AI Act
The most common reaction when SMEs start understanding the AI Act: "We use so many AI tools, I don't even know where to start." That is the core of the problem.
Most SMEs have AI tools in use without any central register. ChatGPT for marketing, an AI recruitment system in HR, a smart accounting tool in finance — all adopted without a compliance check. The AI Act requires you to build that overview retroactively, with risk classes attached.
A second challenge: vendor documentation. If you deploy a high-risk AI system from an external provider, you need to demonstrate that your vendor meets their obligations — technical documentation, contractual terms, and data processing agreements with AI-specific clauses.
And then there is shadow AI: employees adopting AI tools independently, outside IT policy. Without a process for registering and assessing new AI tools before adoption, your blind spot grows every month. For a practical guide on building your AI register, read our step-by-step: how to build an AI inventory.
What you need to have in place for the AI Act
Three concrete things the EU AI Act requires from deployers:
AI inventory
A register of every AI system your organisation uses. Per system: risk class, purpose, vendor, and measures taken. This is the foundation — without an inventory, nothing else can follow.
Risk classification
For each AI system in your inventory: determine whether it is minimal, limited, or high risk. High-risk systems require human oversight, technical documentation, and logging. Want to know where your tools land? Read our explainer on EU AI Act risk classification.
Vendor management
Contractual terms with AI vendors covering responsibilities, technical documentation, and notification obligations. This overlaps heavily with your GDPR vendor management, but requires AI-specific additions. ComplianceHive vendor management is the starting point for both.
How ComplianceHive supports your AI Act compliance
ComplianceHive is built to maintain compliance registers that would otherwise end up in spreadsheets. For the AI Act, that means:
Maintain your AI inventory
Register every AI system your organisation uses. Add risk class, purpose, vendor, and owner. Track when you last reviewed the assessment. Everything with version history — so you can show an auditor what you documented and when.
Vendor documentation
Link AI vendors to your vendor inventory, track which agreements are in place, and flag renewal dates. The same overview covers your GDPR data processing agreements.
Export audit evidence
When a client or regulator asks for your AI policy and inventory, export it from one place. No searching through folders or chasing colleagues for files.
GDPR and AI Act in one overview
The AI Act and GDPR overlap on vendor management, transparency, and risk assessment. ComplianceHive covers both in the same platform. Your GDPR processing register and your AI inventory sit side by side, not in separate tools.
Frequently asked questions about AI Act compliance software
- Does the EU AI Act apply to my SME?
- The EU AI Act distinguishes between providers (who develop AI systems) and deployers (who use them). As an SME, you are almost always a deployer. That means you have obligations for high-risk AI systems you use — such as AI in recruitment, credit scoring, or safety processes. For limited-risk systems like chatbots or text generators, transparency obligations apply. Minimal-risk systems like spam filters have no extra requirements.
- What is an AI inventory and why do I need one?
- An AI inventory is a register of all AI systems and tools your organisation uses — from ChatGPT to automated HR tools. The EU AI Act requires you to know which AI you deploy, what its risk class is, and what measures you have taken. Without this overview, you cannot demonstrate compliance. It also helps you spot risks with new AI tools before they become problems.
- Which AI tools are considered high risk?
- High-risk AI systems are those that make consequential decisions about people. Examples: AI that screens CVs or selects candidates, AI supporting credit decisions, AI in medical devices or safety-critical processes. ChatGPT, Copilot, and similar generative AI tools are generally limited risk, not high risk. But you still need to assess and document each tool individually.
- When do AI Act obligations apply to my business?
- Prohibited AI practices have been in force since February 2025. Obligations for providers of general-purpose AI models (GPAI) and high-risk AI systems apply from August 2025. For deployers of high-risk AI systems, deadlines run through 2026-2027 depending on sector. Starting your AI inventory now puts you ahead of the enforcement period that is coming.
- How does ComplianceHive help with AI Act compliance?
- ComplianceHive helps you inventory your AI systems, assign risk classes, and maintain vendor documentation. Those are exactly the three things the EU AI Act requires from deployers. Everything is tracked in one overview with version history — so you can provide evidence immediately when an auditor or client asks.