Essential
critical system
An automated decision system whose failure or misdirection may reasonably be expected to affect energy, water, food, medicine, financial settlement, or physical safety.
A critical system is an automated decision system whose failure or misdirection may reasonably be expected to affect energy, water, food, medicine, financial settlement, or physical safety. The definition is from the AISI Act and is the threshold for the most stringent regulatory requirements — including the requirement for a certified orchestrator in the decision loop.
How the term evolves
Essential: The classification is the basis for AISIO's regulatory authority. If a system is critical, it requires certification. If it is not critical, it does not. The political fight is about where the line is drawn — and who draws it.