When the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) comes to mind, most business owners and people in the Cyber-scene will think of ISO 27001. This is the world’s best-known standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). However, in 2023, another ISO standard was published, based on something that is becoming more and more relevant to all businesses worldwide: AI.
ISO 42001 is the first international 51-page standard for implementing, managing, and establishing Artificial Intelligence Management Systems (AIMS) within organisations. Now we’ve got the long Acronyms out of the way, let’s cover why this matters. This standard is directly relevant to any organisation, regardless of size, that “provides or utilises AI-based products or services, ensuring responsible development and use of AI systems” (Source: ISO).
The overall objective of ISO 42001 is to format AI usage and continuous development, whilst avoiding ethical and cybersecurity-related challenges. It also aims to aid goals 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals/SDGs (last acronym this time, I promise):
Cutting to the chase on why this is important, the ISO 42001 framework provides organisations with:
In terms of buzzwords for interested stakeholders and business owners, these benefits help maintain reputation, avoid legal issues, and increase an organisation’s efficacy to utilise AI.
While ISO has multiple standards regarding AI, the 42001 standard focuses on the management of AI, using a “Plan‐Do‐Check‐Act” methodology.
In a world where AI is becoming more and more integrated into business systems and organisational processes, standards like ISO 42001 are needed to give a standardised framework to business owners and decision-makers. It also directly ties into aiding multiple SDGs, meaning that, internationally, organisations can make a worldwide impact.
If you would like to learn more about this standard, please visit ISOs page on it here.
We hope you’ve liked this blog! If you’d like to check out more cybersecurity-related blogs, we’ve recently made one on “Are Your Deleted Files Really Deleted?” Stay safe!
