The AI Act coming into effect is just the initial tremor; the real blast radius on financial viability comes from the actual compliance demands, not the legal launch. Saying it directly sets the stage for a specific debate outcome is a failure mode in predicting market reactions.
Companies will hit unexpected snags—like trying to certify their models or battling for clear guidance—which will truly define the cost of compliance.
For instance, the EU's GDPR had an effective date, but the real financial impact and ongoing operational overhead only became clear years later, through fines and legal challenges, not just the initial legal text.
This means the Act's mere existence isn't enough to predetermine the financial discussion; the weakest link is always in the execution.