Supervisory authority
A national regulator that enforces a law within a member state, such as Italy's Garante for data protection. Under the EU AI Act, designated national market-surveillance and notifying authorities play this enforcement role, a distinct set of authorities from a data-protection supervisory authority even though a single company can hear from both. The European Commission's AI Office and these national authorities also publish interpretive guidance as the Act's application matures; treat such guidance as informative, not as a substitute for the article text itself, and check `sources/source-links.md` for the current primary sources before citing any of it. A letter from a national authority is what your applicability memo prepares you to answer with documents (see Topic 5.7).
Defined in 2 GAGE programs, which carry 2 distinct definitions of it. The wording above is taught in Certified AI Governance Professional (CAIGP).
How each discipline defines it
The same term does different work depending on who is using it. These are the definitions as each program teaches them, unedited.
A national regulator that enforces a law within a member state, such as Italy's Garante for data protection. Under the EU AI Act, designated national market-surveillance and notifying authorities play this enforcement role, a distinct set of authorities from a data-protection supervisory authority even though a single company can hear from both. The European Commission's AI Office and these national authorities also publish interpretive guidance as the Act's application matures; treat such guidance as informative, not as a substitute for the article text itself, and check `sources/source-links.md` for the current primary sources before citing any of it. A letter from a national authority is what your applicability memo prepares you to answer with documents (see Topic 5.7).
The independent public body responsible for enforcing data protection law within a given EU member state (or, in some contexts, another jurisdiction's equivalent regulator), and the recipient of GDPR Article 33 breach notifications.
Where it is taught
The exact lessons this term appears in. The first module of every program is free with a free account.
- Notification decisions: who must be told, when, and in which jurisdiction · Data Incidents, Certified AI Data Governance Professional (CADGP)
- The two gates: is it an AI system, and does the Act apply to your organization at all · The EU AI Act: The Executive Map, Certified AI Governance Professional (CAIGP)
Where it shows up at work
A definition is where Supervisory authority starts. The lessons above teach it inside the competencies below, which are what job descriptions ask for and what the GAGE credential records. Every link here is drawn from the same careers map that builds a role's readiness check.
Designs decision rights, committees, intake, approval tiers and escalation so routine uses move and consequential uses get reviewed.
One lesson on this page teach it as a primary outcome.
Decides where AI should be used, where it should not, and which use cases create measurable value, tied to the organization's priorities.
One lesson on this page teach it as a primary outcome.
Decides what a person affected by an AI decision must be told, how an output can be explained, and how they can challenge it.
One lesson on this page teach it as a primary outcome.
Roles that hire for it
Each role page shows the full competency set, what the seat decides, and a readiness check against your own evidence.
- Chief AI Officerneeds it at depth
- Chief Compliance Officer, AI compliance editionneeds it at depth
- VP of AI Governance and Ethicsneeds it at depth
- Autonomous Systems Governance Lead, robotics and physical AI editionneeds it at depth
- Responsible AI Leadneeds it at depth · 7 open postings this week
- AI Governance Managerneeds it at depth
How job descriptions say it
Postings rarely use the textbook word. These are the phrases the careers map reads as asking for the competencies above.
Where the frameworks place it: NIST AI RMF GOVERN; ISO/IEC 42001 Clause 5; EU AI Act Articles 13 and 50; NIST AI RMF trustworthiness characteristics.
One interview question about it
Sketch the governance operating model you would set up for a company deploying its first customer-facing AI. Who decides, who reviews, and who can stop it?
Asked of candidates for ai governance operating model design. Answering it in your own words is exactly how a GAGE topic is passed, and the credential records the pass where an employer can check it.
If you come from another field
Some backgrounds already carry this competency, and the readiness check gives credit for it.
- A business, MBA or technology management degree carries it as a claim to back up: Strategy and opportunity triage are the core of the degree.
Terms it appears with
Not an alphabetical neighbourhood: these are the terms taught in the same lessons, ranked by how often they appear together.