The definitions of terms used in this Act are defined as follows:
1. The term "artificial intelligence" means the electronic implementation of human intellectual abilities, such as learning, reasoning, perception, judgment, and language comprehension;
2. The term "artificial intelligence system" means an artificial intelligence-based system that infers outputs such as predictions, recommendations, and decisions that affect real and virtual environments for a given goal with various levels of autonomy and adaptability;
3. The term "artificial intelligence technology" means hardware and software technologies, or their application technologies, necessary to implement artificial intelligence;
4. The term "high-impact artificial intelligence" means an artificial intelligence system that is likely to have a significant impact on or pause a risk to human life, physical safety, and fundamental rights, and that is utilized in any of the following areas:(a) Supply of energy under subparagraph 1 of Article 2 of the Energy Act;(b) Production process of drinking water under subparagraph 1 of Article 3 of the Drinking Water Management Act;(c) Establishment and operation of a system for providing and using health and medical services under subparagraph 1 of Article 3 of the Framework Act on Health and Medical Care;(d) Development and use of medical devices under Article 2 (1) of the Medical Devices Act and digital medical devices under subparagraph 2 of Article 2 of the Digital Medical Products Act;(e) Safe management and operation of nuclear materials under Article 2 (1) 1 of the Act on Physical Protection and Radiological Emergency and nuclear facilities under subparagraph 2 of that paragraph;(f) Analysis and utilization of biometric information (referring to personal information on physical, physiological, and behavioral characteristics by which an individual can be identified, such as facial, fingerprint, iris, and palm vein patterns) for criminal investigation or arrests;(g) Judgments or evaluations that have a significant impact on the rights and obligations of individuals, such as hiring and loan screening;(h) Major operation and management of means of transportation, traffic facilities, and traffic systems under subparagraphs 1 through 3 of Article 2 of the Traffic Safety Act;(i) Decision-making by the State, local governments, public institutions under Article 4 of the Act on the Management of Public Institutions, and other such entities (hereinafter referred to as "State agencies, etc.") that have influence on citizens, such as the verification and determination of qualifications required for the provision of public services or the collection of expenses;(j) Evaluation of students in early childhood education, elementary education, and secondary education under Article 9 (1) of the Framework Act on Education;(k) Other areas prescribed by Presidential Decree, which have a significant impact on the protection of human life, physical safety, and fundamental rights;
5. The term "generative artificial intelligence" means an artificial intelligence system that generates text, sound, images, videos, and other various outputs by imitating the structure and characteristics of input data (referring to data defined in subparagraph 1 of Article 2 of the Framework Act on Promotion of Data Industry and Data Utilization; hereinafter the same shall apply);
6. The term "artificial intelligence industry" means an industry that develops, manufactures, produces, or distributes products utilizing artificial intelligence or artificial intelligence technology (hereinafter referred to as "artificial intelligence products") or provides services related thereto (hereinafter referred to as "artificial intelligence services");
7. The term "artificial intelligence business operator" means any of the following corporations, organizations, individuals, State agencies, etc. that is engaged in business related to the artificial intelligence industry:(a) Artificial intelligence developer: A person that develops and provides artificial intelligence;(b) Artificial intelligence-using business operator: A person that provides artificial intelligence products or artificial intelligence services using artificial intelligence provided by a business operator under item (a);
8. The term "user" means a person that is provided with an artificial intelligence product or artificial intelligence service;
9. The term "impacted person" means a person whose life, physical safety, and fundamental rights are significantly affected by artificial intelligence products or artificial intelligence services;
10. The term "artificial intelligence society" means a society that creates value and leads development in all fields, including industry, economy, society, culture, and administration through artificial intelligence;
11. The term "artificial intelligence ethics" means the ethical standards that all members of society should observe in all areas, including artificial intelligence development, provision, and use, in order to realize a safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence society that can protect citizens' rights, interests, lives, and property based on respect for human dignity;[Enforcement Date: Jan. 24, 2026] The part regarding digital medical devices in subparagraph 4 (d) of Article 2