# Compute threshold: Meaning and Why It Matters > A compute threshold is a training compute level, measured in operations, above which an SI model faces stricter safety rules. Sources linked. Source: https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/compute-threshold/ Updated: 2026-11-08 1. [Home](https://enterrsi.si/) 2. [Encyclopedia](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/) 3. Compute threshold RSI Encyclopedia · Term # Compute threshold A compute threshold is a training compute level, measured in operations, above which an SI model faces stricter safety rules. Category : Term Also called : training compute threshold, 10^26 threshold Rogue Log cases : 0 Laws that use it : 5 ## In plain English Because the most capable models are trained with the most compute, lawmakers use the total number of operations in a training run as a simple trigger for safety duties. The EU AI Act presumes that a general purpose model trained with more than 10^25 FLOP has systemic risk, which brings duties to evaluate the model, report serious incidents and secure it. California's SB 53, New York's RAISE Act and Illinois SB 315 use 10^26 operations to define frontier developers, and South Korea's AI Basic Act sets a threshold by decree, reported as 10^26 FLOP. Thresholds are easy to measure and hard to dodge for the largest runs, which is their appeal. They are also imperfect. Better algorithms reach the same capability with less compute every year, so a fixed threshold covers fewer dangerous models over time, and tests of actual capability are needed alongside it. Several laws therefore let regulators review or update the number. ## Why it matters for rogue SI Thresholds decide which models get tested and watched at all. A model capable of going rogue but trained efficiently enough to fall under the line would slip past the rules meant to catch it. ## Laws and rules that use it - In force [**EU AI Act (GPAI)**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/eu-ai-act-gpai/) European Union - In force [**SB 53**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/ca-sb-53/) California - Passed, not yet in force [**RAISE Act**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/ny-raise-act/) New York - Passed, not yet in force [**SB 315**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/il-sb-315/) Illinois - In force [**AI Basic Act**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/kr-ai-basic-act/) South Korea ## Sources 1. [Guidelines for providers of general-purpose AI models](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/guidelines-gpai-providers) European Commission · Jul 18, 2025 2. [SB 53: Artificial intelligence models: large developers](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb53) CalMatters Digital Democracy The term Term : Compute threshold Also called : training compute threshold, 10^26 threshold Category : Term Related terms : 3 Related terms [Compute governance **Term**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/compute-governance/)[Frontier model **Term**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/frontier-model/)[Capability threshold **Term**](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/capability-threshold/) Cite this entry "Compute threshold." The RSI Encyclopedia, enterrsi.si, November 8, 2026. https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/compute-threshold/ Free to cite under CC BY 4.0 with a link to enterrsi.si. The RSI Encyclopedia ## Keep reading 207 entries on the terms, labs, models, laws and events of rogue SI, plus every case in the Rogue Incident Database. [Previous term Compute governance](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/compute-governance/)[Next term Containment](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/containment/) Enter RSI ## Every term, lab, model and law Browse the full A to Z index, filter by category or search for a name. [Open the encyclopedia](https://enterrsi.si/encyclopedia/) [Incident Database](https://enterrsi.si/incidents/) [Containment Board](https://enterrsi.si/containment-board/)