OECD updates definition of Artificial Intelligence

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on 8 November 2023 adopted the new definition of Artificial Intelligence. It is expected that the new definition is going to be incorporated in the EU’s new AI regulations.

According to the proposal of the Committee on Digital Economy Policy the term "AI system" should be understood as "a machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers, from the input it receives, how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments. Different AI systems vary in their levels of autonomy and adaptiveness after deployment."

This is how the following terms should be understood according to the proposal:

‒ AI system lifecycle: AI system lifecycle phases involve: i) ‘design, data and models’; which is a context-dependent sequence encompassing planning and design, data collection and processing, as well as model building; ii) ‘verification and validation’; iii) ‘deployment’; and iv) ‘operation and monitoring’. These phases often take place in an iterative manner and are not necessarily sequential. The decision to retire an AI system from operation may occur at any point during the operation and monitoring phase.

‒ AI knowledge: AI knowledge refers to the skills and resources, such as data, code, algorithms, models, research, know-how, training programmes, governance, processes and best practices, required to understand and participate in the AI system lifecycle.

‒ AI actors: AI actors are those who play an active role in the AI system lifecycle, including organisations and individuals that deploy or operate AI.

‒ Stakeholders: Stakeholders encompass all organisations and individuals involved in, or affected by, AI systems, directly or indirectly. AI actors are a subset of stakeholders.

• Recommendation of the Council on Artificial Intelligence
   
• OECD AI Principles overview