THE EQUILIBRIUM JOURNAL / EXECUTIVE BRIEFING
Europe’s AI timetable advances while Companies House announces the next phase of identity verification.
1–31 August 2025
Download this issue · PDF Subscribe free
What happened
2 August 2025 · European Union
GPAI obligations begin applying
Application milestone
The AI Act’s general-purpose AI obligations began applying, subject to the applicable transition rules. The July code provides a voluntary compliance tool; not every downstream user is thereby a model provider.
5 August 2025 · United Kingdom
Companies House confirms 18 November rollout
Implementation announced
Companies House announced mandatory identity-verification rollout from 18 November 2025. Existing directors would enter a phased process linked to company filings, rather than all facing a single August deadline.
Source: Companies House · Identity-verification rollout announcement ↗
The Malaysian lens
For Malaysians operating a UK company or buying AI from overseas, our interpretation is that role identification comes first. Director, controlling person, model provider and customer are different categories, with different evidence and timing requirements.
QUESTION TO ASK
Who is personally responsible for completing each requirement, and where is the evidence stored?
Watch / next step
Check the detailed transition applicable to the person or model. Do not treat an announced future rollout as a missed deadline, or assume one verified director settles every corporate filing obligation.
Sources checked on 20 September 2026. Official sources are preferred; news reports are identified as such. Maintained source pages may contain later updates. Check the enacted text, applicable jurisdiction and current position before acting. General information, not legal advice.
