Will 'explainable AI' (XAI) become a mandatory regulatory requirement for all high-risk AI deployments in the European Union by the end of 2027?

XAI Mandate: Transparency for High-Risk AI in the EU by 2027

As AI permeates critical sectors, the ability to understand *why* an AI system makes a particular decision becomes paramount. 'Explainable AI' (XAI) addresses the 'black box' problem, providing transparency and interpretability. This prediction states that XAI will become a mandatory regulatory requirement for all high-risk AI deployments in the European Union by the end of 2027.

The EU AI Act's Influence

The European Union's AI Act, which is expected to be fully enforced by August 2027, already lays the groundwork for this. It categorizes AI systems by risk level, with 'high-risk' applications (e.g., in healthcare, law enforcement, critical infrastructure, employment) facing stringent requirements. These requirements explicitly include:

• **Transparency:** Systems must be designed to allow humans to understand their output.
• **Human Oversight:** Mechanisms for human intervention and review are necessary.
• **Robustness and Accuracy:** High standards for performance and reliability.

While the exact definition of 'explainability' is still evolving, the spirit of the AI Act clearly pushes towards XAI. By 2027, companies deploying high-risk AI in the EU will face legal mandates to ensure their models can provide comprehensible justifications for their decisions, making XAI a critical compliance factor.