An AI register is a structured inventory of every AI system your organisation uses, who owns each one, how each is classified under the EU AI Act, and the evidence that the resulting obligations are being met. It is the foundation document of AI governance: without it, you cannot say what AI you use, let alone show that you use it lawfully.
What belongs in an AI register
A useful register goes beyond a list of tool names. For each system it should record enough to support a classification decision and to prove the follow-through. At minimum:
- The system, what it is, what it does, which vendor supplies it, and what data it touches.
- A named owner, one person responsible for its use and its review. Unowned systems are where compliance fails.
- Its AI Act classification , prohibited, high-risk, transparency-only or minimal risk, with the reasoning recorded.
- Obligations and deadlines , what the classification requires and by when, from literacy training to chatbot disclosure.
- Evidence, training records, vendor due diligence answers, dated decisions and review notes.
How a register supports the assessment
A maintained inventory helps you identify the AI uses to which different duties may attach. Article 4 literacy measures, high-risk obligations and Article 50 transparency need different assessments. The Act does not impose a universal requirement to buy a commercial AI register. EU database registration for specified cases is also distinct from your internal governance inventory.
When a spreadsheet is enough, and when it becomes difficult
A spreadsheet can be a reasonable starting point if someone maintains it and the evidence can be found. Dedicated software becomes useful when responsibility, changes and review dates are harder to manage. The main Annex III date is now 2 December 2027 under the enacted amendment; record the provision and transition relevant to each use, whichever format you choose.
The register as board evidence
A board needs to understand the AI uses that matter, the decisions being made and the issues still unresolved. A maintained register can support that discussion. It should link to evidence and actions, rather than becoming a list which is never reviewed.
Building yours without the spreadsheet pain
AI Register Ireland gives Irish SMEs a maintained register out of the box: guided classification against the Act, the obligations and deadlines attached to each system, and the evidence trail kept in one place. See how it works.
Legal references checked 4 October 2026: AI Omnibus in force; Article 4 guidance; Current application dates; Article 50 transparency; High-risk classification; Irish Act and AI Office. Check the provision and any transition that applies to your particular system.