AI Act Changes the Rules as Poland’s Artificial Intelligence Market Accelerates

As the latest phase of the EU AI Act takes effect, data shows that Poland’s demand for artificial intelligence specialists has surged by 111 percent year-over-year.

Capital Reacts Faster Than Regulators

Before the regulations formally took effect, the market had already reacted. A February 2025 study by the appliedAI Institute among 113 European AI startups and 15 venture capital funds showed that reality quickly verified initial assumptions. Over 33 percent of surveyed startups classified their systems as high-risk, while the European Commission had estimated this share at just 5 to 15 percent.

Investors responded with immediate caution, as 9 out of 15 surveyed VC funds declared a focus on low-risk companies. For technology founders, this represents hard feedback from the market regarding risk-reward ratios during due diligence. Companies developing models in previously unregulated areas face substantial compliance costs and potential fines, leading 12 percent of startups to consider relocation outside the EU or halting AI work.

Polish Labor Market Shows 111 Percent Surge in AI Demand

Despite fears of stifling the industry, data paints an opposing picture with no indication that AI Act requirements will halt the market, according to Agnieszka Jórczyk. A Pracuj.pl report reveals a 111 percent year-over-year increase in demand for AI and ML specialists in the first half of 2026, driven by companies’ fears of lagging behind competitors and a desire for regulatory clarity.

Technical Skills Are No Longer Enough

The AI Act mandates human oversight, sparking discussions about the future of industry professions. Experts suggest this is not about ethicists replacing programmers, but rather the market requiring a combination of technical and non-technical competencies. The primary barrier is no longer model limitations, but the ability to effectively apply AI in business, as demonstrated by market leaders like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Microsoft establishing embedded engineering units.

Brain Drain and Value Drain in the European Ecosystem

With 12 percent of European startups considering flight outside the Union, structural problems such as restrictive regulations and conservative capital persist. While some engineers return to Poland, a significant issue is value drain, where highly qualified professionals remain in the country while working for foreign entities, transferring generated value abroad through dividends and licensing fees.

Every regulation represents a compromise between increased legal protection for citizens and new compliance costs for businesses, leaving the regulator with the challenge of finding balance.

Compliance as a Competitive Advantage

Polish businesses have a real opportunity to turn AI Act certification and compliance procedures into a competitive advantage. Studies from early 2026 show that over three-quarters of organizations have not yet taken significant steps toward compliance, and more than half lack a basic inventory of utilized AI systems, creating an ideal opening for competent deployment entities.

For most recipients, AI Act compliance acts as a hygiene factor that disqualifies non-compliant suppliers without commanding a price premium. However, companies building their market position on safety and responsibility can model themselves after global examples like Anthropic.

Importing Technology Does Not Bypass EU Responsibility

Importing ready-made, unregulated solutions from outside the Union does not exempt businesses from liability. Under the AI Act, any entity introducing a final solution to the EU market under its own brand bears full responsibility for its compliance, regardless of whether external components originate from non-EU suppliers. Organizations have until December 2, 2027, to fully adapt to requirements in specific areas as enforcement practices develop.