AI literacy for business owners: what do you need to sort out?
AI literacy for business owners: here is what the AI Act asks after the July 2026 amendment, and how to sort it out in four simple steps.
You use ChatGPT for quotes, a colleague has Copilot write emails and the bookkeeper is trying out an AI tool. Suddenly AI literacy for business owners is an official topic. It has been in the European AI Act since 2025, and the text was amended in July 2026.
In this article you can read what applies now and what to do about it in practice. This is not legal advice, but it is a clear step-by-step plan.
What is AI literacy for business owners?
AI literacy is having enough knowledge to use AI sensibly and safely. It is about your own work and your own team, not about technology.
Article 4 of that law is aimed at organisations that provide or use AI systems in their work. That can include small businesses. The rule covers your employees and other people who work with AI on your behalf, such as a temp or an external service provider.
If you only use AI for yourself, the idea behind the rule is still useful: know what you are doing. Whether the obligation applies to your situation depends on how you use AI. If you are unsure, ask a lawyer.
Examples from small and medium-sized businesses:
- A web shop has AI write product descriptions.
- A hairdresser uses AI for social media posts.
- An accountancy firm has AI summarise invoices.
What changed in the rule in 2026?
The duty to work on AI literacy remains, but the law no longer prescribes a specific level. This is because of the Digital Omnibus for AI, an amendment to the AI Act that was published on 24 July 2026 and came into force on 27 July 2026.
For your business, that means you must take measures to support your people’s AI knowledge. You do not have to meet a predetermined level. The European Commission and member states must help businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, with practical examples. These will be published on a central European information platform.
Please note: if you use high-risk AI systems, you must still make sure your people are trained for human oversight. This applies, for example, to AI that helps decide on job applicants or loans.
The Dutch government states on Digitale Overheid that a certificate of an employee’s AI knowledge is not the only or a required way to comply with the rules. So you do not need to put everyone through an expensive exam. What exactly is sensible depends on your business and on how you use AI. Not sure? Ask a lawyer or your trade association.
How do you sort out AI literacy in four steps?
Start small and record what you do. That way you can show later that you take it seriously.
- Make a list of your AI tools. Think of ChatGPT, Copilot, translation tools and AI in your accounting software. Also ask your team about tools they use themselves.
- Agree some simple rules. Which data must not go into an AI tool, such as customer data or contracts? Who checks the result before it goes to a customer?
- Give a short training session. An hour of explanation about mistakes, privacy and good prompts (the instruction you give to AI) works better than a thick document.
- Write down what you did. The date, who took part and what you discussed. Half a page is enough.
Tailor the explanation to the person. An employee who works with AI every day needs more than someone who occasionally rewrites an email with it. For example, let one person practise with real examples from their own work, and give the other a short guide.
Here is a tip that many business owners miss: include AI use in your onboarding programme. A new colleague then reads the agreements on day one, and you do not need to organise anything separately. Also schedule a fixed moment, for example twice a year, to review the tool list and the agreements.
Which risks do you need to know about?
The three biggest risks are mistakes, privacy and blind trust. AI sounds certain, even when it is wrong.
| Risk | Example | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Mistakes | AI invents a legal article in your quote | Always check facts yourself |
| Privacy | You paste a customer file into a free tool | Remove personal data or choose a business version |
| Blind trust | A colleague sends on AI text without reading it | Agree a moment for checking |
Personal data is also covered by the GDPR. Read the provider’s terms and check whether your data is used to train the model. This differs per tool and per subscription.
Do you want to build AI help that always follows the same rules? Then read how to make your own AI assistant without coding. If you use Microsoft, also take a look at Copilot in SharePoint and OneDrive, where files and permissions come together.
Always have someone who knows your business read through the checklist. AI does not know your situation.
Where can you find reliable explanations?
Start with the sources from the government and the European Commission, because rules get amended. So check every now and then whether anything has changed.
Do you want even more control over the work AI can do for you? Then take a look at OpenAI Dots. An agent like this (an AI that carries out tasks on its own) makes good agreements even more important.
Frequently asked questions
Does AI literacy also apply to freelancers?
The rule is aimed at organisations that use or provide AI, even if you work on your own. It is about your own knowledge and that of people who work with AI on your behalf. If you are unsure about your situation, ask a lawyer.
Do I need to get a certificate?
No. According to the Dutch government, certifying individual knowledge is not the only or a required way to comply with the rules.
Since when has the obligation applied?
Article 4 has applied since 2 February 2025. The 2026 amendment came into force on 27 July 2026 and made the duty lighter: no fixed level of knowledge is prescribed.
What should I write down?
Note which AI tools you use, which agreements you made and when your team received an explanation. That way you can show what you have done.
Your next step is a small one: make your tool list today. You can find more practical help in our category AI for business owners.
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