diff --git a/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml b/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml
index bb5eeb1507a9..d50df8bcad28 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml
+++ b/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml
@@ -10,43 +10,71 @@ controls:
   - AeState:
       type: int32_t
       description: |
-        Control to report the AE algorithm state associated with the capture
-        result.
+        Control to report the AEGC algorithm state.
 
-        The state is still reported even if ExposureTimeMode or
-        AnalogueGainMode is set to Manual.
+        The AEGC algorithm computes the exposure time and the analogue gain
+        values to be applied to the image sensor.
+
+        The AEGC algorithm behaviour is controlled by the ExposureTimeMode and
+        AnalogueGainMode controls, which allow applications to decide how
+        the exposure time and gain are computed, in Auto or Manual mode,
+        independently one from the other.
+
+        The AeState control reports the AEGC algorithm state through a single
+        value and describes it a single computation block which computes
+        both the exposure time and the analogue gain values.
+
+        When both the exposure time and analogue gain values are configured to
+        be in Manual mode, the AEGC algorithm is quiescent and does not actively
+        compute any value and the AeState control will report AeStateIdle.
+
+        When at least the exposure time or analogue gain are configured to be
+        computed by the AEGC algorithm, the AeState control will report if the
+        algorithm has converged to stable values for any of the controls set
+        to be computed in Auto mode.
 
-        \sa AnalogueGain
         \sa AnalogueGainMode
-        \sa ExposureTime
         \sa ExposureTimeMode
 
       enum:
         - name: AeStateIdle
           value: 0
           description: |
-            The AE algorithm is inactive.
+            The AEGC algorithm is inactive.
+
+            This state is returned when both AnalogueGainMode and
+            ExposureTimeMode are set to Manual and the algorithm is not
+            actively computing any value.
 
-            This state should be returned if both AnalogueGainMode and
-            ExposureTimeMode are set to manual (or one, if the camera only
-            supports one of the two controls).
+            When ExposureTimeMode or AnalogueGainMode are set to Auto mode, the
+            AEGC algorithm might spontaneously initiate a new scan, in which
+            case the AeState control is moved to AeStateSearching.
         - name: AeStateSearching
           value: 1
           description: |
-            The AE algorithm has not converged yet.
+            The AEGC algorithm is actively computing new values, for either the
+            exposure time or the analogue gain, but has not converged to a
+            stable result yet.
+
+            This state is returned if at least one of AnalogueGainMode
+            or ExposureTimeMode is set to auto and the algorithm hasn't
+            converged yet.
 
-            This state should be returned if at least one of AnalogueGainMode
-            or ExposureTimeMode is set to auto, and the AE algorithm hasn't
-            converged yet. If the AE algorithm converges, the state shall go to
-            AeStateConverged.
+            The AEGC algorithm converges once stable values are computed for
+            any of the controls set to be computed in Auto mode.
+
+            Once the algorithm converges the state is moved to AeStateConverged.
         - name: AeStateConverged
           value: 2
           description: |
             The AE algorithm has converged.
 
-            This state should be returned if at least one of AnalogueGainMode
-            or ExposureTimeMode is set to auto, and the AE algorithm has
-            converged.
+            This state is returned if at least one of AnalogueGainMode
+            or ExposureTimeMode is set to Auto, and the AEGC algorithm has
+            converged to stable value.
+
+            The AEGC algorithm might spontaneously re-initiate an AE scan, in
+            which case the state is moved to AeStateSearching.
 
   # AeMeteringMode needs further attention:
   # - Auto-generate max enum value.