---
title: "AI system"
description: "For governance, the object the AI definition brings into scope."
canonical: https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/ai-system
author: "Jorge García Aibar"
license: "CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)"
doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22956197
version: "0.5.0"
updated: 2026-09-25
---

# AI system

For governance, the object the AI definition brings into scope. Under the EU AI Act, a machine-based system designed to operate with some autonomy, possibly adaptive after deployment, that infers from its input how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments [1][2]. Inference separates it from rule-based software.

- Developed in: [ch. 11, Four definitions, compared](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/ai-defined#four-definitions-compared); [ch. 18, What counts as an AI system](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/eu-ai-act#what-counts-as-an-ai-system)
- Chapters: [ch. 11, AI Defined](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/ai-defined) · [ch. 18, EU AI Act](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/eu-ai-act)
- In the glossary chapter: https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/glossary#t-ai-system

## Sources

[1] Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act), consolidated text as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI, in force 27 Jul 2026; definitions in Art. 3, incl. 3(1), 3(3) to 3(14), 3(14b), 3(20), 3(22), 3(23), 3(29) to 3(32), 3(49), 3(55) to 3(57), 3(60), 3(61), 3(63), 3(68); Arts. 4, 5, 6 (incl. 6(3) third subparagraph, profiling), 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 22 to 27 (incl. 26(11)), 40, 41, 43, 47, 48, 50, 53 (incl. 53(1)(c)), 55, 57, 60, 72, 73, 86; Annexes I, III, IV). Publications Office of the EU (EUR-Lex). 2026-07-27. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/2026-07-27/eng (verified: primary)
[2] Commission Guidelines on the definition of an artificial intelligence system established by Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (C(2025) 5053 final; non-binding; seven elements of Art. 3(1), inference as the indispensable condition; exclusions). European Commission. 2025-02-06. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/commission-publishes-guidelines-ai-system-definition-facilitate-first-ai-acts-rules-application (verified: primary)