Glossary
High-Risk AI
A legal category, notably in EU law, for AI systems whose use in specified contexts triggers enhanced obligations.
Last reviewed 2026-08-22
In plain language
Under the EU AI Act, high-risk systems include certain products covered by existing Union safety legislation and listed use cases such as employment, essential services, law enforcement and migration, subject to the Act’s conditions and exceptions. High-risk is a statutory classification, not a general English description of danger. Other jurisdictions may use different labels or no formal category.
Why it matters for AI governance
Whether a system is high-risk determines documentation, quality-management, logging, human-oversight and conformity-assessment duties in the EU. Misusing the term globally creates legal confusion.
Authoritative sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act) (opens in a new tab) — European Union