Transparency
Providing understandable information about AI systems.
How the laws define this
Regulators around the world agree that transparency requires making an artificial intelligence system’s purpose, data, logic, and operational methods sufficiently understandable to foster trust, oversight, and accountability. However, these instruments diverge significantly regarding the primary scope and target of required disclosures. Certain frameworks, such as the Code of Practice on AI-Generated Content Transparency and the Automated Online Software (Access and Transparency) Bill, focus narrowly on external notices that inform users or website owners when content or software is driven by artificial intelligence. In contrast, standards like the Principles to Promote Fairness, Ethics, Accountability and Transparency (FEAT) in the Use of AI and Data Analytics (MAS) and IEEE 7001-2021 emphasize internal technical documentation, testable explanations, and model cards that enable regulators and internal supervisors to audit decision-making processes. Additionally, instruments like the Draft AI R&D Guidelines for International Discussion explicitly acknowledge boundaries to disclosure, permitting restrictions to protect safety and intellectual property.
Synthesised from the 19 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 19 instruments that define this term; all are listed under Definitions below.
| Jurisdiction | Instrument | Status | What is distinctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Resolution 161/2023 – Program for Transparency and Protection of Personal Data in the Use of Artificial Intelligence (Agency for Access to Public Information) | In Force | Adds legally actionable information under data protection and access-to-information frameworks, linking technical explainability to individual rights. |
| Singapore | Principles to Promote Fairness, Ethics, Accountability and Transparency (FEAT) in the Use of AI and Data Analytics (MAS) | In Force | Specifies customer-facing explanations and internal documentation like model cards and logs for supervisors in financial AIDA systems. |
| European Union | Code of Practice on AI-Generated Content Transparency | In Force | Limits to AI-generated content, recommending clear disclosure of AI origin and information on system's nature and misrepresentation risks. |
| Victoria, Australia | Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies and Recordkeeping Policy | In Force | Narrowed to recordkeeping, describing documentation of processes, inputs, and outputs for scrutiny and responsibility attribution in public offices. |
| Netherlands | Handbook AI-system principles for non-discrimination (Non-discrimination by design) | In Force | Includes algorithm registration in the Algoritmeregister and plain-language explanations in administrative decisions for challengeability. |
| Portugal | Guide for Ethical, Transparent and Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration | In Force | Sets out public disclosure notices and high-level model summaries with purpose, limits, provenance, and contact points for consent and review. |
| ISO | ISO/IEC 22989:2022 - Information technology — Artificial intelligence — Concepts and terminology | In Force | Limits to the property of making information available to stakeholders specifically to ensure accountability and understanding. |
| IEEE | IEEE 7001-2021 — Standard for Transparency of Autonomous Systems | In Force | Defines as measurable, testable levels for objective assessment of how clearly autonomous systems explain actions and decisions. |
| ASEAN | ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics | In Force | Emphasizes clarity and comprehensibility of data inputs, algorithms, and outputs to relevant stakeholders for fostering trust. |
| United Kingdom | Automated Online Software (Access and Transparency) Bill | Proposed | Narrowed to mandatory disclosure of identity and explicit purpose by operators of automated online software interacting with online material. |
What it triggers
- In Argentina, public and private entities deploying AI must enable individuals to know when subject to AI and obtain meaningful information about outcomes.source
- Under Resolution 161/2023, practices enable individuals to obtain legally actionable information about AI logic, data sources, and decision criteria.source
- In the Netherlands, government bodies are guided to register algorithms in the Algoritmeregister and provide plain-language explanations in administrative decisions.source
- In Portugal, public entities are guided to disclose AI use through clear notices and high-level model summaries including purpose and limitations.source
Definitions (19)
Explicitly defined as the obligation to inform affected individuals (students, parents/guardians, educators) about the use of AI, the categories of data processed and the criteria or logic applied, requiring timely, understandable disclosures about system identity, purposes and functioning.
Practices and measures that enable individuals to know when they are subject to AI, and to obtain meaningful information about how outcomes are produced, including the logic, data sources and decision criteria of systems. The regulation emphasizes transparency as both technical explainability and legally actionable information under data protection and access-to-information frameworks.
The obligation to provide affected parties meaningful information about the use, purpose, and functioning of algorithmic tools, including whether an algorithm was used and what data and variables informed the outcome.
The obligation for AI systems to be understandable to stakeholders by providing clear explanations of the decision‑making methods, criteria, and data used. Transparency in the Charter is intended to enable accountability, scrutiny, and informed oversight of AI outcomes.
Transparency covers disclosure of high-level methods, provenance of training data and an outline of design constraints and known limitations, while recognizing legitimate limits where full disclosure would harm safety or intellectual property; its goal is to support understanding, accountability and safe reuse.
The obligation to publish accessible explanations of algorithmic decision-making, to register government-used algorithms in the Algoritmeregister, and to provide plain-language explanations in administrative decisions so affected persons can understand and challenge outcomes.
A requirement to disclose AI use publicly and to affected users through clear notices and high‑level model summaries, including purpose, functional limits, procurement provenance and contact points, to enable scrutiny, informed consent and administrative review.
Transparency emphasizes meaningful disclosure and explainability, including customer‑facing explanations where appropriate and internal documentation (model cards, logs, decision records) sufficient for supervisors and stakeholders to understand material decisions made by AIDA systems.
The practice of providing clear, accessible information about an AI system’s purpose, capabilities, limitations, data sources, and decision‑making logic (proportionate to impact), including user notices, model cards and explanations to support informed use and oversight.
Encompasses both public disclosure of AI use (e.g., stating when decisions are influenced by AI and the system's general purpose) and internal traceability and documentation sufficient to enable audit, redress, and accountability while respecting legitimate confidentiality and security limits.
The principle that AI systems should operate in a way that allows their processes, decisions, and impacts to be understood and explained to stakeholders, including end-users and regulators. This fosters trust and enables effective oversight and accountability.
A central tenet, implying that the processes, inputs, and outputs of AI systems must be sufficiently documented and understandable to allow for scrutiny and attribution of responsibility.
The property that information about an AI system is made available to stakeholders to ensure accountability and understanding.
Transparency in the context of AI-generated content means ensuring users are clearly informed about the AI origin of content. This includes disclosing that content is AI-generated and, where relevant, providing information about the AI system's nature and potential for misrepresentation.
Transparency, within IEEE 7001-2021, is defined as a set of measurable, testable levels that allow objective assessment of how clearly an autonomous system can explain its actions and decisions. It ensures the "why and how" of system behavior is discoverable, fostering trust and accountability.
The characteristic of an autonomous system that allows stakeholders to understand why and how the system behaved in a particular way. It involves providing measurable, testable levels of insight into the system's purpose, processing, data usage, human-AI interaction, and risk assessment.
The mandatory disclosure by operators of automated online software of their identity and the explicit purpose of their activities when interacting with online material. This is a central tenet of the Bill, aiming to provide website owners with crucial information.
Implicitly addressed through the strategy's objectives related to ethical development and responsible deployment, indicating a future requirement for AI systems to be understandable and their decision-making processes clear, especially in critical applications.
Transparency in AI involves ensuring that the functioning of AI systems, including their data inputs, algorithms, and outputs, is clear and comprehensible to relevant stakeholders. This fosters trust and enables accountability.
Not to be confused with
Model transparency focuses specifically on clarity about a model's operation, inputs, outputs, and limitations, while this term covers broader AI system transparency.
Transparency and Explainability emphasizes openness about AI capabilities and limitations per OECD, whereas this term often includes disclosures and documentation specifics.
Questions and answers
What disclosures are required for AI in public administration?
Portugal's guide calls for clear notices to users and public disclosure of AI use with high-level summaries of purpose, limits, and provenance. The Netherlands handbook sets out publishing explanations and registering algorithms. Argentina's resolution emphasizes meaningful information on logic and data sources.
How is AI transparency measured in standards?
IEEE 7001-2021 defines transparency as measurable, testable levels assessing how clearly autonomous systems explain actions. ISO 22989 describes it as making information available to ensure accountability.
Does transparency apply to AI-generated content?
The EU Code of Practice recommends clearly informing users about the AI origin of content and providing details on the system's nature.
Related Terms
model transparency
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Transparencia y explicabilidad
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Transparency and Explainability (OECD)
Commitment to openness about AI capabilities and limitations....
Trustworthy/Explainable AI
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Ethical AI
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