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AI Governance Glossary
Governance Concept

What Is Reasonably Foreseeable Misuse?

Reasonably Foreseeable Misuse is under the EU AI Act, the use of an AI system in a way that is not its intended purpose but that may result from reasonably foreseeable human behaviour or interaction with other systems.

Definition

Reasonably Foreseeable Misuseunder the EU AI Act, the use of an AI system in a way that is not its intended purpose but that may result from reasonably foreseeable human behaviour or interaction with other systems.

Providers of high-risk AI must address not only the intended use but also misuse they could reasonably anticipate — for example, users relying on a tool beyond its tested limits. Designing for reasonably foreseeable misuse, through guardrails, warnings, and human oversight, is part of the Act's risk-management expectations and a hallmark of mature governance.

Source: EU AI Act, Article 3(13)

Plain-language explanation

Providers of high-risk AI must address not only the intended use but also misuse they could reasonably anticipate — for example, users relying on a tool beyond its tested limits. Designing for reasonably foreseeable misuse, through guardrails, warnings, and human oversight, is part of the Act's risk-management expectations and a hallmark of mature governance.

Primary source: EU AI Act, Article 3(13)

Related terms

Intended Purpose Robustness AI Safety High-Risk AI

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