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EU AI Act
The EU’s risk-based legal framework that sets tiered obligations for AI systems to protect human safety, health, and fundamental rights.
I. Overview
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A["Autonomous\nAI operation"] -- "risk-based\nregulatory framework" --> B["Trustworthy\nAI ecosystem"]
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Definition: The EU AI Act is the EU’s legal framework that sets out obligations by risk level so that AI systems do not infringe on human safety, health, and fundamental rights.
Features:
( Risk-based regulation ) Classifies AI systems into 4 risk tiers and imposes differentiated obligations accordingly.
( Human-centered design ) Requires strict oversight of high-risk AI to protect human safety, health, and fundamental rights.
( Aiming for a global standard ) Presents a model standard for AI governance and ethical guidelines worldwide, beyond Europe.
II. Mechanism & Components
The 4-Tier Risk-Based Classification System and Regulatory Content
| Risk Tier | Example Use Cases | Regulation and Obligations |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Unacceptable | Social scoring, real-time remote biometric identification, cognitive manipulation | Completely banned from release and use in the EU |
| 2. High Risk | Medical, transportation, education (hiring/evaluation), elections, law enforcement systems | Prior conformity assessment, data governance, logging, transparency obligations |
| 3. Limited Risk | Chatbots (LLMs), deepfakes, emotion-recognition systems | Disclosure obligation (must notify users that content is AI-generated) |
| 4. Low / Minimal Risk | Spam filters, AI-based games, simple algorithms | No regulation (voluntary code of conduct recommended) |
III. Advanced Topics & Comparison
Key Response Measures and Compliance Requirements
| Category | Response Measure Detail | Core Keyword |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | Build an AI risk management system and establish a quality management framework | AI Governance |
| Data Protection | Remove bias from training data and strengthen personal-information protection measures | Data Lineage |
| Transparency | Record the algorithm’s decision-making process and secure explainability | XAI (Explainable AI) |
| Human Oversight | Design human oversight (HITL) able to intervene when the system malfunctions | HITL (Human-in-the-Loop) |
EU AI Act vs. Existing Regulation (GDPR)
| Comparison Item | GDPR (Personal Information Protection) | EU AI Act |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Protected Interest | Data subjects’ personal data | Human safety and fundamental rights |
| Regulatory Approach | Regulates data-processing activity | Regulates the risk level of AI products and services |
| Scope of Application | The entire personal-information processing system | AI system models |
| Fine on Violation | Up to 4% of worldwide revenue | Up to 7% of worldwide revenue (for prohibited practices) |
Last updated 18 Aug 2026, 00:00 UTC.