AI Act and National Parliaments: How the EU is Regulating Democracy in the Digital Era

AI is increasingly being used by parliaments, yet the risks it poses to democracy and the rule of law remain largely unregulated. In the EU context, the AI Act might be the first regulation to extend to parliaments as well. This essay explores this hypothesis by examining whether the use of AI in national parliaments falls within the scope of EU law and assessing the nature and extent of the obligations imposed by the recently approved regulation on AI. The thesis put forward is that while the AI Act does apply to national parliaments, the obligations are relatively minimal. Consequently, it remains up to each parliament to take the risks posed by AI seriously and safeguard the integrity of democratic processes in the digital era