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Downstream modifier (GPAI)

By Updated

An actor that fine-tunes or modifies another provider's general-purpose AI model. The Commission's guidelines make it the modified model's provider only when the modification uses over a third of the original training compute; its Art. 53(1) duties then cover the modification, but a modified systemic-risk model is presumed to keep that risk and its duties 12.

Developed in
ch. 15, When a deployer becomes a provider
ch. 18, When a fine-tuner becomes a GPAI provider
Chapters
ch. 15, Deployment · ch. 18, EU AI Act
Contrast with
Downstream provider
Source
2 numbered references, listed below

Where it is used

2 chapters of the Body of Knowledge use the term. Each link opens the first section that does.

Downstream modifier (GPAI): mentions per chapter2 mentions of the term across 2 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Other chapterCross-referenced, not named14 Development: 1 mention14 Development115 Deployment017 Incidents: 1 mention17 Incidents118 EU AI Act0No mentions in the other 19 chaptersSource: the Body of Knowledgev0.5.0
Downstream modifier (GPAI): mentions per chapter2 mentions of the term across 2 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Other chapterCross-referenced, not named0001020304050607081011121314 Development: 1 mention114151617 Incidents: 1 mention117181920212223Source: the Body of Knowledge v0.5.0
Mentions per chapter How often each chapter names the term, with the chapters the glossary cross-references drawn solid. The longest bar is where to read the term in use; bars spread across many chapters mark a term that runs through the discipline.
Mentions as a table
Mentions of Downstream modifier (GPAI) per chapter
ChapterMentionsCross-referenced
00 Preface0No
01 Definition0No
02 Why Now0No
03 Values & Principles0No
04 The Stack0No
05 Patterns0No
06 The Role0No
07 Maturity Model0No
08 Regulatory Map0No
10 Reading List0No
11 AI Defined0No
12 Governance Program0No
13 Risk Management0No
14 Development1No
15 Deployment0Yes
16 Fairness & XAI0No
17 Incidents1No
18 EU AI Act0Yes
19 Privacy & AI0No
20 Existing Law0No
21 AI Laws Worldwide0No
22 Principles & Standards0No
23 AI Agents0No
Downstream modifier (GPAI): related terms and patternsThe term at the centre; related terms on solid edges, the terms it is contrasted with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer.RelatedContrastDownstream modifier (GPAI)Related terms (4)Fine-tuning · RelatedFine-tuningGPAI · RelatedGPAIProvider · RelatedProviderSubstantial modification · RelatedSubstantial modificationContrast with (1)Downstream provider · ContrastDownstream provider
Downstream modifier (GPAI): related terms and patternsThe term at the centre; related terms on solid edges, the terms it is contrasted with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer.RelatedContrastRelated terms (4)Fine-tuning · RelatedFine-tuningGPAI · RelatedGPAIProvider · RelatedProviderSubstantial modification · RelatedSubstantial modificationContrast with (1)Downstream provider · ContrastDownstream providerDownstreammodifier (GPAI)
The term's neighbourhood Terms related to this one on solid edges, terms it is often confused with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer. Follow a dashed edge to check the distinction before you use either term.
Neighbourhood as a table
Neighbourhood of Downstream modifier (GPAI)
FamilyItemRelation
Related termsFine-tuningRelated
Related termsGPAIRelated
Related termsProviderRelated
Related termsSubstantial modificationRelated
Contrast withDownstream providerContrast
  • Fine-tuning

    Further training of an existing model on new data to adapt it to a task or domain.

  • Substantial modification

    Under the EU AI Act, a change after placing on the market that the initial conformity assessment did not foresee and that affects compliance or changes the…

  • GPAI

    General-purpose AI model: under the AI Act, a model that shows significant generality, can competently perform a wide range of distinct tasks and can be…

  • Provider

    Under the EU AI Act, whoever develops an AI system or general-purpose AI model, or has one developed, and places it on the market or puts it into service…

Sources

  1. [1] Guidelines on obligations for general-purpose AI providers, FAQ (a modifier becomes a provider only when the modification uses more than one third of the original model's training compute; obligations limited to the modification). European Commission. 2025. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/faqs/guidelines-obligations-general-purpose-ai-providers (verified: primary)
  2. [2] Commission Guidelines on the scope of the obligations for providers of general-purpose AI models (content approved 18 July 2025 by C(2025) 5045 final; formal text C(2025) 7719 final of 19 Nov 2025; paras. 65 to 68 on modifiers; non-binding; indicative criterion of training compute above 10^23 FLOP with the ability to generate language, images or video). European Commission. 2025-11-19. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/guidelines-scope-obligations-providers-general-purpose-ai-models-under-ai-act (verified: primary)

Definitions of legal terms paraphrase the cited text, which governs. Dated statements are as of .

Cite this term

García Aibar, J. (2026). Downstream modifier (GPAI). In AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis & Body of Knowledge (v0.5.0), Glossary. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22956197. https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/downstream-modifier-gpai. CC BY 4.0

BibTeX

@misc{aige2026downstreammodifiergpai,
  author  = {Jorge García Aibar},
  title   = {{Downstream modifier (GPAI)}},
  note    = {Glossary, AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis \& Body of Knowledge, version 0.5.0},
  year    = {2026},
  doi     = {10.5281/zenodo.22956197},
  url     = {https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/downstream-modifier-gpai}
}