ISO/IEC 42001 is an international standard that specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving artificial intelligence management systems (AIMS) within organizations. Upon its introduction in December 2023, it became the world’s first AI management system standard, providing guidance on challenges specific to AI, including ethical considerations, transparency, and continuous learning.
ISO/IEC 42001 is designed to facilitate responsible development and use of AI systems by entities that provide AI-based products and services. For such entities, it sets out a structured way to manage risks and opportunities associated with AI, balancing innovation with governance.
What is the objective of ISO/IEC 42001?
In outlining requirements for AI governance, ISO/IEC 42001 aims to ensure responsible development and use of AI systems.
The standard defines the management systems under its purview as being “set[s] of interrelated or interacting elements of an organization intended to establish policies and objectives, as well as processes to achieve those objectives, in relation to the responsible development, provision or use of AI systems.”
Who is subject to ISO/IEC 42001?
ISO/IEC 42001 is voluntary, so no one is by default subject to it. The standard applies to organizations that develop, provide, and/or use AI-based products or services. This includes users/deployers (i.e., the humans that deploy an AI system in a professional capacity) and providers/developers (who supply the software and/or hardware that go into such products and services). It applies across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
What does ISO/IEC 42001 mean for organizations?
For organizations that develop, provide, and/or use AI-based products or services, ISO/IEC 42001 is an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to responsible AI development and use.
As AI systems become more widespread and more sophisticated, many organizations are proactively building “framework[s] to identify, assess and mitigate potential risks associated with [their] AI systems.” By gaining ISO/IEC 42001 certification, organizations become better positioned to project this proactive approach to their stakeholders.
What are the benefits of implementing ISO/IEC 42001?
The two most significant benefits of implementing ISO/IEC 42001 are improved stakeholder trust and enhanced AI governance.
- Improved stakeholder trust:
As AI continues to advance and integrate into various facets of business (and life in general), showcasing responsible management of AI systems becomes essential for building and sustaining trust with stakeholders.
This importance grows as more companies achieve certification. In 2024, the number of organizations becoming ISO certified increased by 20% worldwide compared to 2023. ISO/IEC 42001 certification in particular stands to rise steadily as AI becomes mainstream in more organizations. This will increase the standard’s role as a key differentiator for businesses leveraging AI.
- Enhanced AI governance:
ISO/IEC 42001 is structured so as to align with other prominent AI standards, such as ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF). By aligning with these frameworks, ISO/IEC 42001 helps organizations remain within well-defined guardrails, protecting their stakeholders and their business from AI-associated risks. This offers companies peace of mind as they navigate the evolving landscape of AI.
ISO/IEC 42001 also facilitates compliance with major AI regulations like the EU AI Act. By aligning with such regulations, the standard streamlines the often complex and resource-intensive process of compliance, making ISO/IEC 42001 certification an invaluable asset for organizations striving to meet global AI accountability standards.
Leaders in security compliance automation are taking note. In December 2024, Jadee Hanson, Chief Information Security Officer at Vanta, predicted that in 2025, enterprises would place a heightened focus on strong AI governance, with an emphasis on consideration for ethical issues and proper use of data to train AI models.
By aligning such considerations with the ISO/IEC 42001 standard, organizations not only protect themselves from AI-associated risks but also actively embrace ethical AI practices as a core business priority.
How can organizations comply with ISO/IEC 42001?
Here is an overview of how to achieve ISO/IEC 42001 certification:
- Secure stakeholder buy-in: Ensure organizational alignment with strategic goals. Define the internal and external factors influencing your AI system, identify interested parties, and determine the scope within ISO/IEC 42001’s framework.
- Assess risk and impact: Identify AI-related risks, including ethical concerns and data security issues. Evaluate the societal and individual implications of your AI systems and develop a risk treatment plan.
- Establish policies and controls: Focus on ethical practices and accountability. Evaluate AI risk management protocols continuously as systems evolve.
- Institute proper training and awareness: Allocate necessary resources, define roles in detail, and ensure that everyone across the organization understands the AI system’s goals and their own impact on AI performance.
- Implement documentation and monitoring: Keep track of AI interactions and potential threats with internal controls and monitoring capabilities.
- Prepare for external audit: Address nonconformities and ensure that all controls are in place.
Following ISO/IEC 42001 certification, it is important to maintain post-certification compliance by scheduling annual audits, monitoring regulatory changes, and continuously evaluating system performance.
How does Prompt Security help organizations navigate ISO/IEC 42001?
Prompt Security helps organizations comply with ISO/IEC 42001 in several key ways:
- Automated risk management and compliance: Prompt Security enables organizations to establish and enforce granular department- and user-specific rules and policies, which aligns with ISO/IEC 42001’s requirement for risk assessment and management.
- Comprehensive AI governance: The platform provides robust monitoring and control capabilities for AI applications, including:
- Full audit logging of all portal activities and configuration changes.
- Advanced AI-powered protection mechanisms that can be customized to match specific organizational contexts and risk appetites.
- Integration with compliance frameworks and regulatory standards.
- Data privacy and protection: Prompt Security protects against data privacy violations and unauthorized sharing of sensitive information, supporting ISO/IEC 42001’s requirements for responsible AI development.
- Employee training and awareness: The platform educates employees on safe AI use through clear, accessible, and non-disruptive explanations of associated risks, helping organizations meet ISO/IEC 42001’s training and awareness requirements.
These capabilities help organizations maintain the continuous improvement cycle required by ISO/IEC 42001 while ensuring responsible AI development and use.
