On 10 June 2026 the Italian Council of Ministers approved the draft implementing decrees of the national law on artificial intelligence. The news fueled the idea that AI training only now becomes mandatory for professionals.
In reality the picture is more nuanced. There are three separate sources with three different dates, and distinguishing them helps clarify what is already binding today and what is still under approval.
The European obligation in force since 2025
AI training in professional firms did not begin in 2026. On 2 February 2025, Article 4 of EU Regulation 2024/1689, known as the AI Act, became applicable.
As a European regulation, it produces effects without the need for national transposition. The rule requires anyone who provides or uses AI systems to ensure a sufficient level of literacy among staff.
Translated into the daily life of a firm, the obligation concerns the organization as a whole. It involves the owner, collaborators and administrative staff, not only the professional registered with a board.
The ninety credits set by the national board
The second reference comes from the profession’s own rules. The regulation on continuing education adopted by the CNDCEC on 15 October 2025 has been in force since 1 January 2026.
The regulation requires registered members to earn ninety training credits over three years, at least nine of which in mandatory subjects. In Annex 1, under item B.1.2, appears the subject “Artificial intelligence in professional firms”.
As a result, hours spent training on AI count twice: as credits toward the board and as compliance with the European literacy obligation. For registered members this is already a current requirement.
What was actually approved on 10 June
The drafts approved on 10 June introduce, for regulated professions, AI training along three lines: technical, legal and ethical. Boards would have six months to update their training rules.
Within twelve months, the parameters of fair compensation should account for the risk classification of the AI system used. However, according to statement number 177 from Palazzo Chigi, this is a preliminary-stage approval.
The process still requires opinions from parliamentary committees, a return to the Council of Ministers, enactment and publication in the Official Gazette. Until then, these provisions are not in force.
The blind spot: the firm, not just the member
An often overlooked aspect concerns non-registered staff. According to the Work Trend Index, 78 percent of those who use AI at work bring their own tools, outside the organization’s control.
This phenomenon, called Shadow AI, carries significant weight in firms that handle client data. The internal training plan thus becomes the necessary complement to individual training credits.
Original article: accademiadeicommercialisti.it
