Where several AI systems form part of a more complex AI system, so that their combined intended purpose or joint outputs materially influence an individual decision, the combined configuration is treated as a single AI system for the purpose of high-risk classification. To avoid circumvention of the high-risk classification rules by system design, split architectures are assessed as a whole. Where the components of an AI system are configured as intended to be used for a use case listed in Annex III AI Act,the combined system will be classified as high-risk pursuant to Article 6(2) AI Act.Even if certain modules on their own may be exempt under Article 6(3) AI Act, these exemptions do not apply if the overall system’s configuration and functioning influence key aspects of the decisions made with the AI system’s supportin the context of the high-risk use case . This principle also extends to complex, interconnected setups like agentic AI systems that coordinate and interact through linked actions as long as these linked actions or components serve in conjunction an intended high-risk purpose.
By contrast, strictly procedural or preparatory functionsof an AI system that are linked to high-risk system remain eligible for exemption from high-risk classification under Article 6(3) AI Act where they are genuinely separable from the AI systemand when they do not structure or feed outputs that materially influence the examination of an individual case (e.g. the examination of an application for essential public benefits). Furthermore, AI-enabled functions and components that are genuinely separable, put into service independently from that system and that do not contribute to a high-risk purpose are out of scope from the high-risk classification.