1        Introduction

2        Technical Specifications

3        Reference Software Specifications

4        Conformance Testing Specifications

5        Performance Assessment Specifications

6        Technical Report

1    Introduction

The technical foundations of the MPAI Ecosystem are currently provided by the following documents developed and maintained by MPAI:

  1. Technical Specification.
  2. Reference Software Specification.
  3. Conformance Testing Specification.
  4. Performance Assessment Specification.
  5. Technical Report

An MPAI Standard is a collection of the 5 document types. In some cases, a Standard may include only the first four or even only the first three.

2       Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications are of three types:

  1. System-oriented: address the context in which Application-Oriented Technical Specifications are handled and executed:
    1. This Technical Specification.
    2. The AI Framework [1].
  2. Accessory: specify how to assess the impact of functionalities additional to those specified in a Technical Specification.
  3. Application-oriented: are container standards, e.g., [2], [3] and [4], specifying:
    1. The Functions performed, and the Syntax and Semantics of the input and output data of AI Workflows (AIW) and the corresponding AI Modules (AIM).
    2. The Topology and Connections of the AIMs.

Technical Specifications shall include:

  1. Normative chapters:
    1. Scope
    2. References
    3. Terms and Definitions
    4. Use Case Architectures
    5. AI Modules.
  2. Normative Annexes
    1. MPAI-wide terms and definitions.
    2. Notices and disclaimers.
    3. The Governance of the MPAI Ecosystem
    4. Patent Declarations.
    5. AIW and AIM Metadata (not required by System-oriented and Accessory Technical Specifications).

3       Reference Software Specifications

Reference Software Specifications specify the characteristics of the associated Reference Software Implementation composed of:

  1. A source code implementation of the MPAI-AIF or a link to an implementation of MPAI-AIF downloadable from the MPAI website or the MPAI Store.
  2. Optionally, a set of libraries for use by the Reference Software Implementation in a particular execution environment.
  3. Implementations of AIWs and their AIMs.
  4. Associated metadata of the AIFs, AIWs and their AIMs.
  5. Documentation.

The Reference Software Implementation shall behave in a manner that is Conformant with the Technical Specification and is Normative in the sense that the computer code in the Software and the natural language in the Technical Specification specify equivalent functionalities.

The Reference Software Implementations of the AIMs composing the AIWs shall be made available in one or more than one of the following Software Forms:

  1. Source code providing a satisfactory user experience and/or functionality.
  2. Source code that provides a limited user experience, but sufficient to assess the value of the Technical Specification.
  3. Compiled AIMs providing a satisfactory user experience and/or functionality.
  4. Source code software wrapping access to a third-party service enabling a conforming AIM Implementation (Wrapper AIM).

The Reference Software Implementation need not claim that it has passed Performance Assessment.

The Reference Software Specification shall include:

  1. Normative chapters:
    1. Scope
    2. References
    3. Terms and Definitions.
    4. Reference Software Architectures.
  2. Normative Annexes
    1. MPAI-wide terms and definitions.
    2. Notices and disclaimers.
    3. The Governance of the MPAI Ecosystem
    4. Patent Declarations.

4       Conformance Testing Specifications

Conformance Testing Specifications allow a user to ascertain whether an implementation is a correct reification of a Technical Specification by using the Technical Specification and the Means included in the Conformance Testing Specification.

MPAI defines Interoperability as the ability to replace an AIW or an AIM Implementation with a functionally equivalent AIW or AIM Implementation and defines 3 Interoperability Levels of an AIW that executes an AIM:

Level 1 – Conforming to the MPAI-AIF Standard.

Level 2 – Conforming to the MPAI-AIF Standard and an Application-oriented Technical Specification.

Level 3 – Conforming to the MPAI-AIF Standard, and an Application-oriented Technical Specification, and assessed for Performance by a Performance Assessor.

The MPAI Store Tests the Conformance of a submitted implementation to properly label it as a Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 Implementation, and making it available for Distribution.

Conformance Assessment Specifications shall include:

  1. Normative chapters:
    1. Scope
    2. References
    3. Terms and Definitions.
    4. Definition of Conformance Assessment.
    5. The Means to Test the Conformance of the relevant AIMs and AIWs.
  2. Normative Annexes
    1. MPAI-wide terms and definitions.
    2. Notices and disclaimers.
    3. The Governance of the MPAI Ecosystem.
    4. Patent Declarations.

5       Performance Assessment Specifications

Performance Assessment Specifications allow Performance Assessors to assess the Performance of an Implementation.

The Performance Assessment Specification shall:

  1. Define Reliability, and optionally Replicability, Robustness, and Fairness of an Implementation.
  2. Include the Means used to carry out Performance Assessment for Reliability.
  3. Optionally provide guidelines with respect to Replicability, Robustness, and Fairness of an Implementation.
  4. Specify the minimum amount of information that an Implementer shall provide to the Performance Assessor regarding their Implementation.
  5. Specify the nature and minimum amount of information that a Performance Assessor shall disclose to an Implementer in case the Performance Assessment has failed.

The MPAI Store may record results obtained through a publicly described methodology provided by external experts regarding Replicability, Robustness, and Fairness and post them alongside the metadata of an Implementation.

6       Technical Report

A technical description of the issues and possible solutions regarding an application area, implementation guidelines, etc.