ABSTRACT
With AI fast evolving, the AI Act stands out as a piece of legislation compared to other legislative attempts that emerge in parallel. One of the key differentiators is its principle-based approach. It is therefore worth examining the fundamental principles underpinning the AI Act and to situate them within the broader context of the debate between risk-based and principle-based regulatory approaches. Only by taking this perspective, i.e. by analysing the principles on which the AI Act is founded, it is possible to understand the EU's strategy towards AI technologies and its potential implications for innovation, human rights, and societal well-being. The AI Act is grounded on several core principles that reflect the EU's key values, explicitly enumerated in various articles which are woven throughout the legislation and its accompanying documents. They form the ethical and legal foundation upon which the Act's more specific provisions are built.
