AI lifecycle
Stages of AI from planning through decommissioning.
How the laws define this
Regulatory frameworks uniformly view the concept as a structured sequence or iterative set of phases spanning an AI system’s entire lifespan, anchored by early planning or design, data preparation, development, testing, deployment, operational monitoring, and eventual decommissioning. Instruments consistently use this end-to-end scope to anchor compliance duties, requiring governance, risk controls, testing, and documentation across every phase. However, frameworks diverge on which specific operational activities are categorized as distinct lifecycle stages. For instance, the Artificial intelligence governance policy (Queensland Government) and the Foundational Artificial Intelligence Risk Assessment (FAIRA) guideline (Queensland Government) explicitly integrate procurement into their lifecycle stages. In contrast, the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence uniquely includes research, while ISO/IEC TR 5469:2024 — Artificial intelligence — Functional safety and AI systems specifies incident handling, and the Western Australia AI Policy Framework highlights refinement rather than explicit decommissioning.
Synthesised from the 17 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.
How jurisdictions differ
What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first. Showing 10 of the 17 instruments that define this term; all are listed under Definitions below.
| Jurisdiction | Instrument | Status | What is distinctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | CAN-ASC-6.2 Accessible and Equitable Artificial Intelligence Standard | In Force | Explicitly maps responsibilities, assessments, testing, and accessibility/equity controls across the lifecycle stages. |
| Queensland, Australia | Foundational Artificial Intelligence Risk Assessment (FAIRA) guideline (Queensland Government) | In Force | Includes procurement and conception stages, and describes re-assessments upon significant changes. |
| United States | Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework: Generative Artificial Intelligence Profile | In Force | Implicitly defines the lifecycle through risk management application without listing explicit stages. |
| Western Australia, Australia | Western Australia AI Policy Framework | In Force | Adds refinement stage after monitoring and emphasizes ethical and risk considerations throughout. |
| Hong Kong | Ethical Artificial Intelligence Framework | In Force | Limits stages to strategy, planning, development, deployment, and operation for structuring governance. |
| Ireland | Guidelines for the Responsible Use of AI in the Public Service | In Force | Specifies seven detailed stages including data collection/processing and verification/validation. |
| Indonesia | Guidelines for Responsible and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Ethics in the Financial Technology Industry | In Force | Limits phases to design, development, testing, deployment, monitoring, and retirement. |
| New Zealand | Responsible Artificial Intelligence guidance for businesses | In Force | Describes lifecycle as iterative phases for structuring risk management and governance. |
| UNESCO | Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence | In Force | Includes research and use stages alongside maintenance and decommissioning. |
| ISO | ISO/IEC TR 5469:2024, Artificial intelligence — Functional safety and AI systems | In Force | Adds incident handling and starts from initial concept with data collection. |
What it triggers
- CAN-ASC-6.2 sets out accessibility and equity controls to be mapped across the AI lifecycle.source
- FAIRA guideline calls for risk assessments and controls across all lifecycle stages with re-assessment on changes.source
- Queensland AI governance policy sets out governance and controls to be applied at each lifecycle stage.source
- Ireland Guidelines map responsibilities and controls to each lifecycle stage.source
Definitions (17)
The sequence of stages covering planning, data collection, development, testing, deployment, monitoring and decommissioning of AI systems, used by the standard to map responsibilities, assessments, testing and accessibility/equity controls across an AI system's life.
The sequence of phases including planning and design, data collection and model construction, verification and validation, deployment, and operation/monitoring that constitute development and use of an AI system; the lifecycle framing anchors documentation, risk management and traceability obligations.
The full set of stages in an AI system's existence, encompassing data collection, hosting, engineering, development, testing, deployment, operation, monitoring, and maintenance. The Charter requires that obligations and safeguards apply across this entire lifecycle.
The set of stages for AI projects as specified by the Framework—strategy, planning, development, deployment and operation—used to structure governance, risk controls, testing, monitoring and documentation across an AI application's lifespan.
The sequence of stages in the development and operational use of an AI system, typically including Planning & Design; Data Collection & Processing; Model Building; Verification & Validation; Deployment; Operation & Monitoring; and Retire/Decommission. The Guidelines map responsibilities and required controls to each stage to ensure governance, testing, monitoring and eventual safe retirement.
The sequence of phases that constitute an AI system's lifespan, explicitly defined as design, development, testing, deployment, monitoring, and retirement, used to structure governance, risk assessment and operational controls throughout the system's existence.
The end-to-end sequence of stages in an AI system's existence—scoping, design, development, testing/validation, deployment, monitoring, maintenance and retirement—used to structure risk controls, documentation and governance activities throughout the system's operational life.
The iterative set of phases an AI system passes through, including design, data collection, model development, testing, deployment, monitoring and decommissioning, used to structure risk management, testing and governance activities throughout a system's operational life.
The end-to-end sequence of activities for an AI system, including planning, procurement, development/configuration, testing/validation, deployment, monitoring, and decommissioning. The policy requires governance and controls to be applied across each lifecycle stage.
The AI lifecycle encompasses the stages of conception, design, procurement, development, deployment, operation, monitoring and decommissioning for an AI solution. FAIRA requires assessments to consider risks and controls across all these lifecycle stages and to re-assess when significant changes occur.
The end-to-end stages of an AI solution, including conception, design, development, procurement, implementation, operation, monitoring, evaluation and decommissioning, for which the policy mandates structured governance, risk assessment and ongoing oversight.
Encompasses research, design, development, deployment, use, maintenance, and decommissioning of AI systems.
The comprehensive stages involved in the development and deployment of an AI system, including design, data and modelling, development and validation, deployment, monitoring, and refinement. Ethical and risk considerations must be applied throughout all these stages.
The sequence of stages for an AI system, including problem scoping, data preparation, model design and development, testing, deployment, monitoring and decommissioning, which the Guidelines require firms to manage and document.
Encompasses the entire process from conception and design through development, deployment, operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning of an AI system.
The document also implicitly defines the 'AI Lifecycle' through its application of risk management across various stages, from design and development to deployment and post-deployment monitoring.
The entire process of an AI system, encompassing stages from initial concept and data collection through development, deployment, operational monitoring, incident handling, and eventual retirement.
Not to be confused with
AI lifecycle phases lists only four high-level stages while AI lifecycle encompasses fuller sequences including planning, decommissioning and monitoring.
AI system lifecycle starts from data and covers to monitoring, narrower than the full AI lifecycle sequences that often include planning and decommissioning.
Questions and answers
What stages are included in the AI lifecycle under CAN-ASC-6.2?
It covers planning, data collection, development, testing, deployment, monitoring and decommissioning. The standard uses these to map responsibilities and accessibility controls.
Does the AI lifecycle require re-assessments?
Queensland's FAIRA guideline describes re-assessing risks and controls when significant changes occur across lifecycle stages.
How many stages define the AI lifecycle in Ireland's guidelines?
It specifies seven stages: Planning & Design; Data Collection & Processing; Model Building; Verification & Validation; Deployment; Operation & Monitoring; and Retire/Decommission.
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