The EU AI Act, passed in 2024, spent much of 2026 relitigating its own start date. High-risk obligations under the AI Act, originally scheduled to take effect on Aug. 2, were delayed until December 2027 following months of negotiations among the Council, the Parliament and the Commission over the Digital Omnibus package. The AI Act provides a clear legal framework, but keeping that framework aligned with rapid technological change requires continual updates. Washington asks who controls the most powerful technology in the world and how quickly it can act if that control slips. In A.I., clarity has become a competitive advantage in its own right.