Transparency
The principle that AI systems should openly communicate their nature, capabilities, limitations, and decision-making processes to users.
Full Definition
Transparency in AI governance is the principle that AI systems must openly communicate their nature (that they are AI), their capabilities and limitations, and the basis for their decisions to users, operators, and regulators. The EU AI Act mandates specific transparency obligations for AI systems: users must be informed when they are interacting with AI, generated content must be labeled as AI-produced, and providers must document how systems work. For autonomous agents, transparency extends to operational transparency (what the agent did and why), data transparency (what data informed decisions), and limitation transparency (known failure modes and uncertainty levels). Governance platforms enable transparency through automated documentation, user-facing explanations, and comprehensive audit reporting that satisfies regulatory disclosure requirements.
Related Terms
Explainability
The ability to understand and communicate why an AI system made a specific decision or produced a particular output.
EU AI Act
The European Union's comprehensive legal framework for regulating AI systems based on risk classification.
Responsible AI
An approach to AI development and deployment that prioritizes fairness, accountability, transparency, ethics, and safety.