EU AI Act Article 13: Transparency Requirements
What EU AI Act Article 13 requires providers to disclose in instructions for use — performance metrics, limitations, and human oversight measures.
Transparency and provision of information to deployers
Article 13 requires high-risk AI systems to be sufficiently transparent so deployers can interpret outputs and exercise proper human oversight. Providers must supply comprehensive instructions for use.
Required instructions for use
Provider identity and contact details
Include the provider's name, registered trade name or trademark, postal address, and contact email. Deployers must know who built the system.
Characteristics, capabilities, and performance limitations
Document accuracy metrics, robustness thresholds, cybersecurity measures, and performance across demographic groups. Include all known limitations.
Foreseeable circumstances that may lead to risks
Describe situations where the system may underperform, produce biased outputs, or fail. Cover edge cases and out-of-distribution scenarios.
Changes to the system predetermined by the provider
Disclose any automatic updates, retraining schedules, or configuration changes the provider may apply after deployment.
Human oversight measures and maintenance
Explain technical measures that enable human oversight per Article 14, expected system lifetime, and required maintenance or care procedures.
Implementation steps
Generate instructions from model cards and datasheets
Automate instructions-for-use generation by extracting metadata from model cards, datasheets, and evaluation reports. Keep them version-controlled alongside code.
Version limitation disclosures and update logs
Track every known limitation, failure mode, and edge case in a structured changelog. Update instructions whenever the system changes.
Document demographic performance breakdowns
Measure and publish accuracy, precision, recall, and fairness metrics segmented by protected attributes and use-case scenarios.
Provide technical measures for output interpretation
Include confidence scores, explainability features, and guidance on when human review is required. Link to Article 14 oversight procedures.
Provider-to-deployer transparency chain
Article 13 creates a legally binding transparency chain: providers document system behavior, deployers receive instructions, and deployers use them to exercise human oversight under Article 14. If instructions are incomplete, deployers cannot comply with their own obligations.
Frequently asked questions
Related articles
Article 11: Technical documentation
Providers must maintain detailed technical documentation demonstrating compliance with Chapter III requirements. This documentation supports regulatory audits and conformity assessments.
Article 14: Human oversight
High-risk AI systems must be designed for effective human oversight. Article 13 instructions enable deployers to implement the oversight measures described in Article 14.
Article 26: Obligations of deployers of high-risk AI systems
Deployers must follow the provider's instructions for use, monitor system operation, and report serious incidents. Article 13 transparency is the foundation of deployer compliance.
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