Governance

Kill Switch

Definition

A technical mechanism that allows an AI system to be safely halted, overridden, or disabled by authorised humans at any time. The EU AI Act requires high-risk AI systems to incorporate such controls as part of their human oversight design.

Related Terms

Human Oversight

The ability of humans to effectively monitor, intervene in, and override an AI system's outputs. The EU AI Act mandates appropriate human oversight for all high-risk AI systems, requiring technical measures that enable operators to halt or correct the system in real time.

AI Safety

A multi-disciplinary research field concerned with preventing AI systems from causing unintended harm—including technical failures, misuse, and long-term societal risks. In the EU, AI safety is operationalised through the AI Act's risk classification and conformity assessment 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.

Related Services

Eu Ai Act Compliance

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