Modules

AI System Definition (Module A.1)

Instructions for:ParticipantTrainer

Related Initiative

Goal

This module introduces the definition of an AI system according to the EU AI Act. It helps learners understand the key elements of the definition and recognise what distinguishes an AI system from other types of software and automated systems.

The module explores the main characteristics of AI systems, including their machine-based nature, varying levels of autonomy, potential adaptiveness, objectives, ability to infer how to generate outputs, and interaction with physical or virtual environments. Examples and practical scenarios are used to illustrate how these elements apply to different types of AI systems.

Learning Goals

Understand the definition of an AI system under the EU AI Act
Identify the main elements of the EU AI Act definition of an AI system
Distinguish AI systems from traditional rule-based or automated systems
Understand the concepts of autonomy and adaptiveness in AI systems
Recognise different types of AI system outputs, including predictions, content, recommendations, and decisions
Understand how AI systems can influence physical and virtual environments

Duration (hours)

1

For whom is this important?

Ethics reviewersPolicy Maker / Policy Maker / Regulator

Steps

1AI System Definition

2AI System Definition (Video)

3Examples of AI Systems

4AI vs. Non-AI / System Classification

5EU AI Act - AI System Definition

6Definition's core concepts check

7AI System's Outputs

What is this about?

This module explains what an AI system is according to the EU AI Act. It introduces the key elements of the definition, including autonomy, adaptiveness, objectives, inference, outputs, and interaction with physical or virtual environments, using practical examples to illustrate these concepts.

Why is this important?

Understanding what constitutes an AI system is essential for recognising when the EU AI Act applies and for identifying the characteristics of systems that may raise ethical and regulatory considerations. This module provides the foundational understanding needed to explore AI ethics and the responsible development and use of AI systems in the following modules.

1

AI System Definition

An AI system, as defined in the EU AI Act, provides the foundational reference point for determining the scope of AI governance and related ethics obligations. This definition is crucial because it establishes clear criteria for distinguishing AI-based technologies from other software systems, ensuring consistent interpretation across research, development, and policy contexts. A precise understanding of this definition helps stakeholders assess whether a system is subject to specific legal, ethical, and compliance requirements under EU rules. According to the definition of an AI system in the EU AI Act:

‘AI system’ means a machine-based system that is designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy and that may exhibit adaptiveness after deployment, and that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers, from the input it receives, how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments.

Source: European Union. (2024). Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on artificial intelligence (EU AI Act). Official Journal of the European Union. Article 3(1) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32024R1689

AI System Definition

2