REGULATION HAT HOLDS THIGNS BACK: THE EU AI ACT AND ITS ASYMMETRIC IMPACTS ON EDUCATIONAL CONTENT CREATORS IN THE CZECH AND SLOVAK CONTEXTS

Abstract

Background: Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council on artificial intelligence (hereinafter the AI Act) enters a crucial implementation phase for the education sector in August 2026. In this paper, we analyse the structural asymmetries that this regulation brings, particularly for smaller and emerging actors in the education sector in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Results: We argue that compliance costs and documentation obligations, although a negligible item in the overall costs for large multinational operators of AI systems, become a prohibitive burden for micro and small players, which may significantly slow down or prevent their innovative activities. Using a case study of the educational platform Kurzologie.cz, we illustrate the specific implementation challenges faced by a Czech educational provider in 2026. Conclusion: We propose a complementary model in which external regulation works in conjunction with the internal ethical self-regulation of actors, with an emphasis on the proportionality of implementation requirements relative to the size and capacity of the actor. In conclusion, we formulate specific recommendations for the national implementation of the AI Act in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.