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Artificial intelligence regulation means the laws, rules and governance requirements that apply to AI systems. There is no single legal definition of AI that applies everywhere: the relevant meaning depends on the jurisdiction and the particular legal framework. The EU AI Act provides one current statutory example, not a universal definition.
What does “artificial intelligence regulation” mean?
The phrase describes the rules that govern AI systems and the people or organizations that develop, supply, deploy or use them. It is a broad policy and legal topic, not the name of one global rulebook. A legal definition may determine which systems a law covers, while other provisions set requirements for activities involving those systems.
In the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689—the EU AI Act—sets harmonized rules for placing AI systems on the market, putting them into service and using them in the Union. It includes provisions concerning prohibited practices, high-risk systems, transparency, general-purpose AI models, monitoring, governance and enforcement. Read the consolidated EU AI Act text.
How does the EU AI Act define an AI system?
Article 3(1) of the EU AI Act defines an AI system as a machine-based system designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy that may adapt after deployment and that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers from its inputs how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments. This is the EU Act’s statutory definition; it should not be presented as a definition binding in every jurisdiction.
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The focus is on a system’s capacity to infer how to produce outputs from inputs, rather than on whether its maker uses a particular label or technique. Recital 12 of the Act says, “A key characteristic of AI systems is their capability to infer.” The European Commission’s guidance explains that the definition is intended to distinguish AI systems from simpler traditional software and systems based solely on rules defined by natural persons to execute operations automatically. It discusses both machine-learning and logic- or knowledge-based approaches. As a result, not every automated program is necessarily AI, and AI is not limited to machine learning. Read the European Commission’s definition guidance.
What is the difference between an AI model and an AI system?
Under the EU AI Act, an AI model and an AI system are not interchangeable terms. A model is a component that may be integrated into a system; by itself, a model does not automatically constitute an AI system under the Act. The system includes the model and any other relevant components. Generative models are one example of general-purpose models, but the legal category “AI system” concerns the broader system. See the European Commission’s explanation of AI models and systems.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do the OECD and NIST describe or address AI?
The OECD’s updated definition is closely aligned with the EU Act’s emphasis on inference. It describes an AI system as machine-based and, for explicit or implicit objectives, inferring from input how to generate predictions, content, recommendations or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments. It also recognizes variation in autonomy and adaptiveness after deployment. Several frameworks, including the EU AI Act and NIST AI Risk Management Framework, adopt, refer to or slightly deviate from the OECD definition; that alignment does not make their definitions identical or give the OECD definition the force of law. Consult the OECD glossary.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesNIST’s AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) is a voluntary resource for organizations that design, develop, deploy or use AI systems. It helps organizations manage risk; it is not itself a general AI statute. Read NIST’s AI RMF 1.0 Executive Summary.
Quick Recap
Best Value
| Source | Role | What it contributes |
|---|---|---|
| EU AI Act | EU regulation | A statutory definition and binding rules for activities and actors within its scope. |
| European Commission definition guidance | Official interpretive guidance | Explains the EU Act’s definition, including inference and the distinction from simpler software. |
| OECD definition | International policy definition | A closely aligned description of AI systems; not, by itself, a statute. |
| NIST AI RMF | Voluntary organizational risk-management framework | A resource for managing AI risk, not a general AI law. |
What the definition does—and does not—tell you
- “AI regulation” does not identify a single worldwide definition or set of requirements. Check the jurisdiction and legal framework relevant to the system and activity.
- A definition helps establish what a framework may cover, but it does not by itself explain every obligation that follows. The EU AI Act’s scope and requirements extend beyond its definition.
- A product’s description as an “AI model” does not settle whether the larger product or service is an AI system under a particular law.
- Whether a particular technology falls within a legal definition depends on the applicable jurisdiction and the facts about that technology and its use.
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