What ISO 42001 is
ISO 42001 is the first management standard for artificial intelligence. It asks organizations to govern AI responsibly: manage its risks, be transparent about how it is used, watch for bias, and keep humans accountable for what the system does.
It is new, published in late 2023, and interest in the US is climbing fast as customers and boards ask how AI is controlled. For AI vendors it is becoming a way to prove responsible practices to enterprise buyers.
The standard covers the full life of an AI system: data, design, testing, deployment and monitoring. It sits well alongside ISO 27001 for companies that already manage information security.
How to get certified
- Inventory where your organization builds or uses AI, and the risks each use creates.
- Set governance: who is accountable, how decisions are reviewed, and how bias and safety are checked.
- Put controls around data quality, testing, transparency and human oversight.
- Run the system and gather evidence, then complete an internal audit and management review.
- Select a certification body offering ISO 42001 and book the audits.
- Pass the two-stage audit and maintain through surveillance.
Always use an accredited certification body
In the US, look for a body accredited by ANAB. An accredited certificate is the one customers, regulators and buyers actually trust — and you can confirm any certificate through IAF CertSearch.
How much ISO 42001 costs
Because the standard is new, fewer certification bodies offer it and quotes vary widely. Shop around.
Companies already certified to ISO 27001 will find much of the groundwork done, which lowers cost.
Expect the market to mature quickly. Getting in early can be a selling point with customers.
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