AI Act Risk Classification: A Practical Guide

The EU AI Act establishes a risk-based approach to regulation, categorizing AI systems into four tiers based on their potential impact on health, safety, and fundamental rights.

Prohibited AI Systems Certain AI applications are banned outright in the EU. These include social scoring systems, real-time biometric identification in public spaces (with limited exceptions), and AI that exploits vulnerable groups.

High-Risk AI Systems This category includes AI used in critical areas like healthcare, education, employment, law enforcement, and essential services. High-risk systems face the most stringent requirements including conformity assessments, human oversight, and detailed documentation.

Limited Risk AI Systems Systems like chatbots and deepfakes fall here. The main requirement is transparency - users must know they're interacting with AI.

Minimal Risk AI Systems The majority of AI applications fall into this category and face minimal regulatory burden. Think spam filters or AI in video games.

The challenge is accurately classifying your systems. Context matters enormously - the same technology might be minimal risk in one application and high-risk in another.