---
title: "Contestability"
description: "The ability of a person affected by an AI-supported decision to challenge it and obtain a response that can change it."
canonical: https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/contestability
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
---

# Contestability

The ability of a person affected by an AI-supported decision to challenge it and obtain a response that can change it. GDPR Article 22(3) gives a right to contest solely automated decisions [1], and the OECD principles ask that people adversely affected can challenge an output [2].

- Developed in: [ch. 16, The legal hooks for explanations](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/fairness-and-explainability#the-legal-hooks-for-explanations); [ch. 05, Pattern: Decision Notice & Contest Path](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/patterns/decision-notice-contest-path)
- Chapters: [ch. 05, Patterns](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/patterns) · [ch. 12, Governance Program](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/governance-program) · [ch. 16, Fairness & XAI](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/fairness-and-explainability)
- Contrast with: [Recourse](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/recourse) · [Contest path](https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/contest-path)
- In the glossary chapter: https://aigovernanceengineer.com/bok/glossary#t-contestability

## Sources

[1] Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) (Arts. 4(1), 4(5), 4(7), 4(8), 4(12), 4(14), 5, 6, 9, 12(3), 22, 25, 28(2) and 28(4), 30, 33, 35; Recital 26). Publications Office of the EU (EUR-Lex). 2016-04-27. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj/eng (verified: primary)
[2] Recommendation of the Council on Artificial Intelligence, OECD/LEGAL/0449 (adopted 22 May 2019; AI-system definition revised 8 Nov 2023; revised 3 May 2024; five principles and five recommendations; 1.3 enables people adversely affected to challenge an output; definitions of AI system, lifecycle and AI actors). OECD. 2024-05-03. https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0449 (verified: primary)