In order to develop responsible AI, international standards can be quite important. It requires collaboration and a multidisciplinary effort from technology companies, policymakers and other players in the field of AI.

Regulating Artificial Intelligence is the biggest challenge of our day and age. This can be seen by the ambitious goals of the EU AI Act, where the proposal follows a risk-based approach. AI systems with unacceptable risks, such as social scoring or profiling will be banned from the outset. Those AI systems which are high-risk will have to comply with mandatory requirements in order to enter the EU market. Low-risk AI systems, however, will only be subject to specific transparency requirements. All other AI systems will be considered to pose minimal risk and will not be subject to any specific regulation, except that providers have the possibility to establish voluntary codes of conduct.

Standardization is considered by many to be the key to successfully regulating this new and widespread phenomenon. ISO 42001 is a certifiable framework for an AI Management System (AIMS) that aims to support organizations in the responsible development, delivery, or use of AI systems. This new standard of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) was created with the aim to provide an overarching framework for the responsible development of AI. It is the world’s first standard for AI management systems, and it addresses ethical considerations, transparency and continuous learning.

ISO has previously developed several AI standards, such as  ISO/IEC 23053, which provides a framework for AI and machine learning; ISO/IEC 22989, which defines AI terminology; ISO/IEC 23894, which provides guidelines for AI-related risk management and ISO/IEC 42001, which is a voluntary standard intended for use by organizations of all sizes, if they offer or use products or services that involve AI systems. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has already committed to the new ISO/IEC 42001 standard.

International standards are a vital part of helping organizations translate domestic regulatory requirements into compliance mechanisms, which is why this new ISO standard has the potential to be extremely effective. With every new development that is coming out of the EU and the influence on various countries to start regulatory efforts, all standards and helpful guidelines have a key influence on how we can develop and control AI for the future betterment of humanity.

Mónika Mercz, JD, specialized in English legal translation, Professional Coordinator at the Public Law Center of Mathias Corvinus Collegium Foundation while completing a PhD in Law and Political Sciences at the Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Budapest, Hungary. Mónika’s past and present research focuses on constitutional identity in EU member states, data protection aspects of DNA testing, environment protection, children’s rights and Artificial Intelligence. Email: mercz.monika@mcc.hu