Multilevel oversight of AI systems in line with the AI Act

The AI “oversight – control” nexus is a matter of debate in both scientific literature and policy papers, given the complex and disruptive nature of the technology and the intricate legislative systems regulating the deployment of AI systems. Most approaches give precedence to the need for a multilayered governance model, while in the same time taking into account the lifecycle stages of the AI product. Oversight over the ecosystem in which the AI is deployed (the governance layer) should not be confused with the process level human oversight. At process level, human oversight is needed in the case of “high-risk systems”, and AI literacy is a precondition for this oversight to be relative. Effective oversight requires many resources at both ecosystem and organisational levels. Additionally, oversight of AI systems is also highly regulated in democratic societies and therefore can be seen as a reflection of the importance that democratic values have in the way disruptive technologies are deployed within society.