Governance

AI System

Definition

As defined by the EU AI Act: a machine-based system that, for a given set of objectives, infers from the inputs it receives how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence real or virtual environments.

Related Terms

EU AI Act

The world's first comprehensive AI regulation, adopted by the European Union in 2024 and phasing in through 2027–2028 (prohibitions from February 2025, GPAI obligations from August 2025, stand-alone high-risk systems from 2 December 2027, and high-risk AI embedded in regulated products from 2 August 2028). It classifies AI systems by risk level—unacceptable, high, limited, and minimal—and imposes obligations proportionate to risk, from outright bans to conformity assessments and transparency requirements.

High-Risk AI System

An AI system classified under the EU AI Act as posing significant risks to health, safety, or fundamental rights. High-risk systems must undergo conformity assessment, maintain technical documentation, enable human oversight, and be registered in an EU database before market deployment.

GPAI (General Purpose AI)

General Purpose AI models—such as large language models—that can be adapted to a wide range of tasks. Under the EU AI Act, GPAI providers must publish technical documentation, comply with copyright law, and publish summaries of training data. GPAI models with systemic risk face additional requirements.

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