EU AI Act Article 11: Technical Documentation
Article 11 requires that providers of high-risk AI systems draw up technical documentation
that demonstrates compliance with the EU AI Act. A clear and accurate description of the system's
intended purpose is a fundamental requirement.
Why is System Purpose Important?
The system purpose description is used to:
- Determine Risk Classification: Assess whether the system falls under Annex III high-risk categories
- Identify Applicable Requirements: Map to relevant EU AI Act Articles
- Guide Conformity Assessment: Help auditors understand what the system does
- Enable Proper Oversight: Ensure human operators understand system capabilities and limitations
What to Include in the Description
Your system description should clearly state:
- Primary Function: What does the AI system do?
- Use Case: In what context is it used?
- Target Users: Who interacts with the system?
- Key Capabilities: What decisions or outputs does it produce?
- Limitations: What are the known constraints or edge cases?
Tip: Write the description in plain language that non-technical stakeholders can understand.
Avoid jargon, but be specific enough to enable accurate risk assessment.
Annex III High-Risk Category Mapping
Based on your system description, the platform may suggest an Annex III high-risk category.
The EU AI Act defines 10 categories of high-risk AI systems, including:
- Biometric identification and categorization
- Critical infrastructure management
- Education and vocational training assessment
- Employment, workers management, and access to self-employment
- Access to and enjoyment of essential private services and public services
- Law enforcement
- Migration, asylum, and border control management
- Administration of justice and democratic processes
- Creditworthiness assessment and financial scoring
- Safety components in products
Keyword-Based Suggestions
The system analyzes your description and suggests the most likely Annex III category based on keywords.
You can accept the suggestion or manually select a different category if needed.
Important: If your system is classified as high-risk, you must select an Annex III category.
This classification determines which compliance requirements apply.
Technical Documentation Requirements
Article 11 requires technical documentation to include:
- General description of the AI system and its intended purpose
- Detailed description of the system's elements and processes
- Risk management measures
- Data governance and training procedures
- Human oversight measures
- Accuracy, robustness, and cybersecurity measures
Related EU AI Act Articles
- Article 11: Technical documentation
- Article 6: Classification rules for high-risk AI systems
- Annex III: List of high-risk AI systems
- Article 43: Conformity assessment procedures