The EU AI Act Footnotes (1)

Take a look at this official pyramid from the EC website 👇. It’s a neat visualization, but it might reinforce a common misconception about the EU AI Act’s “risk classification.”

The AI AI Act risk classification pyramid conveys a wrong idea of mutual exclusivity.

The pyramid layout suggests mutually exclusive levels, like you’re either on floor 3 or floor 2. But that’s not quite how it works.

While prohibited systems are indeed a separate category, the other designations (high-risk, limited risk, general-purpose AI) can apply simultaneously to the same system.

This isn’t a major issue, but it’s worth keeping in mind when setting up compliance processes. Your system might need to meet requirements from multiple categories, and your role might include both provider and deployer obligations.

The Act’s categories work more like tags than floors in a building. Small distinction, practical implications.

How the EU AI Act risk "classification" should look like.

PS: Random observations on AI regulation. Not legal advice.

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