ISO/IEC 42001 is the first international standard to specify requirements for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) management system. It helps organisations to manage AI systems responsibly and effectively by defining policies and processes for their development, implementation and monitoring.
The certification is aimed at any organisation that develops or uses AI technologies. This includes companies that offer AI products or services, as well as those that use AI internally for process optimisation or decision support, especially when it comes to high-risk AI systems as defined by the AI Act.
ISO 42001 certification demonstrates an organisation's commitment to structured and responsible AI practices. It builds trust with customers and partners, supports compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and promotes operational efficiency through standardised processes for handling AI systems.
ISO 42001 is specifically designed to address the challenges and risks associated with artificial intelligence. While other standards such as ISO 9001 (quality management) or ISO/IEC 27001 (information security management) deal with general management systems, ISO 42001 focuses on the responsible development and use of AI systems.
The certification process begins with the implementation of an AI management system in accordance with the requirements of ISO 42001. This is followed by an audit by an accredited certification body to verify that the management system complies with the standard. Upon successful completion of the audit, certification is awarded and must be periodically confirmed through surveillance audits.