serious incident
In plain wordsUnder EU AI law, an AI failure that kills or badly injures someone, disrupts vital services, violates fundamental rights or seriously damages property — which the maker must report to authorities quickly.
Under the EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models., a failure or malfunction of an AI system that causes, directly or indirectly, one of four outcomes: a person's death or serious damage to their health; serious disruption of critical infrastructure that cannot be undone; a breach of EU-law obligations that protect fundamental rights; or serious damage to property or the environment. Providers of high-risk systemshigh-risk AI system, n.: Under EU law, an AI system used where mistakes could seriously hurt people's safety or rights — in hiring, schooling, loans, policing, borders or products like medical devices — and which must therefore pass strict checks. must report such incidents to the market surveillance authority of the member state concerned once a causal link, or its reasonable likelihood, is established — no later than 15 days after becoming aware, 10 days if a person died, and 2 days for a widespread infringement or a serious disruption of critical infrastructure — and must then investigate. Providers of general-purpose models with systemic riskgeneral-purpose AI model with systemic risk, n.: The EU's label for the very largest and most capable AI models, whose failure or misuse could cause harm across society, so their makers must test them for dangers and report serious incidents. must track and report serious incidents to the AI OfficeAI Office, prop. n.: The European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe. without undue delay.
The provider filed a serious incident report within two days because the failure hit a regional power grid.
Origin
Modeled on vigilance reporting in medical-device and product-safety law; defined in the 2021 AI Act proposal, with infringements of fundamental rights added during negotiations. The Commission consulted on draft guidance and a reporting template in September 2025.
Usage note
Narrower than an AI incidentAI incident, n.: A real-world case in which an AI system, through a flaw, a breakdown or the way someone used it, ends up hurting people, property or rights, as in an injury, a wrongful arrest or a privacy breach. as tracked by the AI Incident Database or the OECD AI Incidents Monitor, which include lesser harms and near misses.
Related
- AI incidentAI incident, n.: A real-world case in which an AI system, through a flaw, a breakdown or the way someone used it, ends up hurting people, property or rights, as in an injury, a wrongful arrest or a privacy breach.
- post-market monitoringpost-market monitoring, n.: The duty of an AI system's maker to keep watching how it performs after release, gathering evidence from real use so that problems are found and fixed.
- high-risk AI systemhigh-risk AI system, n.: Under EU law, an AI system used where mistakes could seriously hurt people's safety or rights — in hiring, schooling, loans, policing, borders or products like medical devices — and which must therefore pass strict checks.
- general-purpose AI model with systemic riskgeneral-purpose AI model with systemic risk, n.: The EU's label for the very largest and most capable AI models, whose failure or misuse could cause harm across society, so their makers must test them for dangers and report serious incidents.
- AI OfficeAI Office, prop. n.: The European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe.
- AI incidentAI incident, n.: A real-world case in which an AI system, through a flaw, a breakdown or the way someone used it, ends up hurting people, property or rights, as in an injury, a wrongful arrest or a privacy breach.
Defined in law or standards
EU AI Act (Reg. (EU) 2024/1689), Art. 3(49) and Art. 73; Art. 55(1)(c)
Mentioned in
AI incidentAI incident, n.: A real-world case in which an AI system, through a flaw, a breakdown or the way someone used it, ends up hurting people, property or rights, as in an injury, a wrongful arrest or a privacy breach., General-Purpose AI Code of PracticeGeneral-Purpose AI Code of Practice, prop. n.: A voluntary rulebook, published by the EU in 2025, that makers of large AI models can sign to show they follow the EU AI Act's rules on transparency, copyright and safety., general-purpose AI model with systemic riskgeneral-purpose AI model with systemic risk, n.: The EU's label for the very largest and most capable AI models, whose failure or misuse could cause harm across society, so their makers must test them for dangers and report serious incidents., market surveillance authoritymarket surveillance authority, n.: The government body in each EU country that checks AI systems on the market, investigates complaints, and can order unsafe or unlawful AI to be fixed or withdrawn., post-market monitoringpost-market monitoring, n.: The duty of an AI system's maker to keep watching how it performs after release, gathering evidence from real use so that problems are found and fixed.