Deployers must ensure input data they control is relevant and representative
Context fileUnder EU AI Act, Article 26(4)
What does it require?
To the extent a deployer controls the data fed into a high-risk AI system, it must make sure that input data is relevant to, and sufficiently representative for, the system's intended purpose. The duty sits with the deployer even though the provider designed the system, because the deployer chooses what the system is run on.
Practical action
Define input-data quality checks for each high-risk system, including population coverage and field validation, and review them with the provider's instructions.
Who does it apply to?
Deployers of high-risk AI systems that select or supply the operational input data.
Applies from:
Which controls meet this duty?
Satisfies: the control, operated properly, does the work the duty asks for. Supports: it contributes but the duty needs more. Each control page lists every other duty it serves, so work done once can be counted once.
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satisfiesProcessData governance lead · once per ai systemData governance and dataset documentation
Serves 8 recorded duties · evidence: Dataset documentation sheet, Data quality and bias check report, Dataset approval for use
Applied to operational input data rather than training data.
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supportsTechnical measureAI system owner · continuousPost-deployment monitoring and drift detection
Serves 10 recorded duties · evidence: Post-market monitoring plan, Monitoring dashboard or periodic monitoring report, Monitoring review decision
Detects input drift away from the intended population.
What evidence would a reviewer expect?
| Evidence | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Input-data quality checklist | document | |
| Input-data validation results | record |
Framework mappings
Original editorial crosswalks. They cite clause numbers only and reproduce no standard text; confidence reflects how direct the mapping is.
See every European Union duty mapped this way →
| Framework | Reference | Note | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 42001:2023 | Annex A.7.4, A.7.6 | Data quality and data preparation. | medium |
| NIST AI RMF 1.0 | MAP 2.3, MEASURE 2.2 | Data representativeness in context. | medium |
Cite this record
AIPolicyTracker (2026). “Deployers must ensure input data they control is relevant and representative (EU AI Act)”. https://aipolicytracker.org/obligations/eu-ai-act-art-26-4-deployer-input-data (accessed 24 September 2026). Data licensed CC BY 4.0.
Cite the official text alongside it: Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence, Official Journal of the European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj.
Similar obligations in other instruments
- Apply data governance and quality criteria to training, validation and testing data — EU AI Act, European Union
- Manage data quality, model development and monitoring across the lifecycle — Singapore Model AI Governance Framework, Singapore (voluntary)
Informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult qualified counsel before acting.