New report reveals the extent of EU AI Act influence

London, 28 July 2026 – A new analysis of the world’s largest dataset on corporate AI use, from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, samples nearly 3,000 global companies and shows that the EU AI Act is already generating a global ripple effect.

The Global Impact of The EU AI Act, based on AI Company Data Initiative (AICDI) findings, reveals striking trends in compliance.

The EU AI Act marks the first regulation on Artificial Intelligence and comes into effect in August 2026. Thomson Reuters Foundation’s research, published today, shows that the Act is causing a Brussels Effect, by already influencing corporate AI governance beyond Europe and demonstrating the tendency of EU regulation to become a global standard.

Thomson Reuters Foundation’s research indicates that companies that cite the new European AI regulation perform significantly ahead of their peers on governance. Proactive alignment with the regulation continues to correlate with stronger operational resilience, greater investor confidence, and reduced long-term compliance costs.

Nearly half (47%) of the companies that cite the EU AI Act in their disclosures are headquartered outside the EU. The United States is the single largest source of non-EU companies engaging with the regulation.

Thomson Reuters Foundation report breaks key trends down for investors:

• Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments (FRIAs) are the biggest exposure
  Under Article 27, deployers of high-risk AI systems must conduct FRIAs before deployment and notify national market surveillance authorities. Yet, fewer than 1 in 4 companies (even among non-EU citers) disclose a Human Rights Impact Assessment, and only 1 in 3 an Ethical Impact Assessment. This is where legal exposure is greatest and the gap between ambition and practice is widest.
• Supply chain compliance is becoming the transmission mechanism
  EU-based customers are incorporating AI Act provisions into Requests for Proposal (RFPs), due diligence, and contracts – including expectations around conformity, assessments and timelines.
• The policy-to-practice gap is the defining weakness
  Only 12.4% of companies globally have a Human Oversight Policy, and 48% of those haven’t documented the operational processes (monitoring tools, intervention mechanisms, human-in-the-loop workflows) needed to make it meaningful.
• Technical infrastructure remains an unfinished project
  AI Model Registries, which are critical for lifecycle tracking, remain rare even among citers (21% non-EU, 19% EU) vs 1–2% for non-citers.

For more information on AI Company Data Initiative (AICDI) and its key findings, visit the AICDI website or get in touch.

Notes to Editors:

For more information, contact Ayse Yalinca, Senior Communications Manager.

About the Thomson Reuters Foundation

The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global AI and technology company. As an independent charity, registered in the UK and the USA, with an entity in the EU, we leverage our media, legal and data-driven expertise to foster free, fair and informed societies by strengthen information integrity, countering shrinking civic space, and advancing fair work and responsible AI. trust.org

About the AI Company Data Initiative

Powered by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the AI Company Data Initiative (AICDI) is the world’s largest dataset on corporate AI adoption, comprising public data and disclosures from almost 3,000 global companies. Grounded in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, it aims to drive transparency and accountability on AI use. The initiative is a framework to inform responsible investment decisions, and for companies to self-assess their AI adoption and mitigate risks.

For more information on AI Company Data Initiative (AICDI), visit the AICDI website or get in touch.