Key messages from JRC report on European AI standardization

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Based on the information provided in the JRC report, here are key points regarding the development and characteristics of harmonised standards for the EU AI Act:

Timeline and Progress

  • The EU AI Act entered into force on August 1st, 2024.
  • High-risk AI systems must comply with the Act’s requirements after a transition period of 2 or 3 years, starting from August 2026[1].
  • The European Commission has engaged with European Standardisation Organisations since April 2021.
  • The standardisation process has been slower than anticipated, with challenges in reaching consensus on new work items and their scope[1].

Characteristics of AI Standards

Standards supporting the AI Act are expected to have the following key attributes:

  1. Tailored to the AI Act’s objectives: Focus on risks to health, safety, and fundamental rights of individuals[1].
  2. System and product-centric: Cover all phases of the AI system lifecycle[1].
  3. Prescriptive and clear: Define explicit requirements for AI systems to meet[1].
  4. Broadly applicable: Provide horizontal requirements applicable across sectors and AI system types[1].
  5. State-of-the-art aligned: Address modern AI techniques and architectures[1].
  6. Cohesive and complementary: Ensure logical structure and capture interdependencies between requirements[1].

Key Areas of Standardisation

The European Commission has requested standardisation deliverables in 10 concrete aspects of AI, including:

  1. Risk Management: Specify a risk management system for AI products and services[1].
  2. Data Governance and Quality: Cover both data management and dataset quality aspects[1].
  3. Record Keeping: Define requirements for tracing and recording events in AI systems[1].
  4. Transparency: Outline transparency information required for compliance[1].
  5. Human Oversight: Define requirements for selecting and implementing oversight measures[1].
  6. Accuracy: Support the selection of relevant accuracy metrics and thresholds[1].

Challenges and Considerations

  • Existing international standardisation efforts often focus on organizational objectives rather than individual risks, requiring a shift in approach for AI Act standards[1].
  • Standards must balance prescriptiveness with flexibility to accommodate various AI systems and sectors[1].
  • The rapid advancement of AI technology necessitates standards that can address state-of-the-art techniques[1].

These harmonised standards, once published in the Official Journal of the EU, will grant a legal presumption of conformity to AI systems developed in accordance with them[1].

Citations:
[1] https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC139430/JRC139430_01.pdf

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