AI Councils
Standards & Regulations

ISO/IEC 42001

The first international standard for AI management systems.

Overview

ISO/IEC 42001 is the first international standard specifically for AI management systems. It follows the ISO management system model (similar to ISO 27001 for information security) and provides a framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving AI management within an organization.

Key Concepts

Management System Approach

ISO 42001 uses the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle:

  • Plan. Establish AI policy, objectives, risk assessment, and treatment plans
  • Do. Implement the management system and controls
  • Check. Monitor, measure, and audit the system
  • Act. Take corrective actions and continually improve

AI-Specific Controls

The standard includes controls for:

  • AI policy and leadership commitment
  • AI risk assessment
  • Data management for AI
  • AI system development and operation
  • AI system performance evaluation
  • Third-party AI relationships
StandardFocus
ISO/IEC 23894AI-specific risk management guidance
ISO/IEC 38507Governance implications of AI for governing bodies
ISO/IEC 22989AI concepts and terminology
ISO/IEC 23053Framework for AI systems using machine learning

Together with ISO 42001, these form a complete standards backbone.

Using ISO 42001 with This Toolkit

If your organization pursues ISO 42001 certification, this toolkit provides practical artifacts that support compliance:

ISO 42001 RequirementToolkit Artifact
AI policyPrinciples + Charter
Roles and responsibilitiesRoles and Membership
Risk assessmentRisk Tiering + Impact Assessments
AI system documentationModel Cards + AI Inventory
Monitoring and measurementMonitoring + Reporting
Continual improvementPolicy Refresh + Incidents

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