The rapid adoption of AI across industries has created an urgent need for the structured oversight provided by an AI management system (AIMS). One 2024 survey from McKinsey found that 78% of companies used artificial intelligence in at least one way. Companies also highlighted heightened risks related to AI’s inaccuracy and lack of compliance frameworks, as well as trickier things to navigate like IP management, cybersecurity, and data privacy.
Despite these growing concerns, few companies have implemented AIMS to address them. As hackers misuse AI for their own gain, the number and severity of these risks continue to escalate. This creates a dilemma for tech companies and the organizations that use their products: How can they protect themselves from security vulnerabilities in AI tools while also ensuring they aren’t missing growth opportunities?
This article will explore this dilemma while discussing what an artificial intelligence management system is and how it helps to address common AI risks. Then, learn about the role of ISO/IEC 42001, how to ensure implementation aligns with responsible AI values, and why it all matters.
What Is ISO 42001?
ISO/IEC 42001 is the first international standard defining the requirements for AIMS. It gets its name from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which collaborated to create the ISO/IEC 42001. ISO is the largest developer of voluntary industry standards worldwide and commonly works on management systems, while IEC generally focuses on developing global standards for electronic and electrical technologies.
As the first structured AI management system, ISO/IEC 42001 helps organizations develop, implement, and manage implementing AI technologies. This framework covers the entire AI system lifecycle, from initial conception through deployment, operation, and decommissioning. These guidelines apply to all organizations that use AI technologies or develop AI applications.
By combining compliance, risk management, and ethical oversight, the ISO/IEC 42001 helps standardize and streamline AI implementation. This comprehensive AIMS approach means organizations can harness the full power of AI while effectively managing risks. They can also use it to keep business goals, regulatory compliance, and responsible AI practices aligned.
The Importance of ISO 42001’s Approach
Artificial intelligence brings a long list of benefits to most organizations that use it, including reduced costs, accelerated scalability and development, and the automation of tedious tasks. However, organizations and AI researchers have raised concerns about AI’s potential negative impacts and the security gaps it can create. Things like dark AI and unverified AI-generated code pose substantial risks to organizational security.
ISO/IEC 42001 gives organizations a way to mitigate these risks. As more organizations comply with the framework, they’re standardizing an AI deployment structure that makes it easier to audit the resulting AI systems. This is especially important because explainability, accuracy, and fairness in AI are some of the top concerns raised by businesses and AI researchers alike.
While some organizations shy away from regulations and standardization, others—including Big Tech players like Google and Anthropic—believe management and security frameworks like these are critical to innovation. Standardization is also great for businesses that might otherwise spend resources on independently developing responsible AI solutions. ISO’s ready-made AI management system allows them to innovate with confidence in their product’s safety.
Ethical Consideration in AI Management Systems
Ethics should lie at the heart of any responsible AI program. Not only have AI researchers and NGOs increasingly raised the alarm regarding bias in AI systems, but everyday consumers also share their concerns. Pew Research’s 2025 survey showed that the United States’ general population is much more concerned than excited about AI adoption, lagging substantially behind expert opinions on AI’s safety and positive potential.
Organizations must proactively address these issues, and creating AI systems guided by ISO/IEC 42001 is arguably among those best ways to do so. The framework emphasizes fairness, accountability, and transparency as its central principles, and it paves the way for security teams to include AI safety in their cybersecurity solutions.
This structure makes ISO/IEC 42001 especially attractive for organizations in highly regulated industries. Some of the industries most likely to benefit from implementing these responsible AI principles include:
- Healthcare
- Criminal justice
- Education
- Personal finance
Voluntary compliance shows that companies are committed to going beyond the bare minimum, building trust with stakeholders, leadership, and consumers.
Benefits of AI Management Systems
Complying with ISO/IEC 42001 takes time, effort, and commitment. Even Microsoft, one of the largest tech companies in the world, has not yet certified all its products (at time of writing), though it remains committed to doing so. However, there are many benefits of taking on this hefty task.
Creating Safe and Trustworthy AI
AIMS gives AI implementations strict guidelines to follow for safety, transparency, and ethical compliance. After all, no technology is worth implementing unless it brings a net-positive impact—and not just in revenue. Organizations should weigh profits against the risk an AI system might introduce internally and to external stakeholders and consumers.
For example, an AI model that replaces software engineers might save the company money in the short term. But if AI coding introduces an application vulnerability that leads to deployed ransomware and data breaches, then the AI is no longer a net positive.
Easier Regulatory Compliance
Governments worldwide are introducing legislation to tackle social, economic, and political risks from AI tools. The EU AI Act, for example, is the most comprehensive attempt at regulating AI and mitigating potential negative impacts in combination with ISO/IEC 42001. While the U.S. does not have AI safety laws at the federal level, several states, such as California and Colorado, have passed safety regulations. It’s likely that more regulations on both state and federal levels will come with time.
Improved Efficiency and AI Risk Assessments
Standardization helps all companies ethically develop AI technologies, but the exact risks differ between disciplines. AIMS simplifies AI governance processes, which makes it easier for organizations to focus on identifying and mitigating risks specific to their technologies and industries.
Mitigation might include tracking model behavior, implementing safeguards against misuse, and ensuring proper data management. It could also mean deciding not to deploy a misaligned AI that could create safety risks for the company or its customers.
Continuous Improvement and Innovation
ISO/IEC 42001 follows the plan-do-check-act process for continuous improvement in artificial intelligence. This approach helps companies develop an appropriate level of oversight without restricting innovation and proactively adapt new developments as they scale.
Ultimately, plan-do-check-act processes make AI safety and ethics part of the development and innovation process rather than an afterthought.
First Mover Advantage
The percentage of consumers who are concerned about AI safety has grown over the years. Companies that tackle this head-on from their initial planning will likely build greater company trust than those who wait to act until the negative sentiment has spiraled even further.
It’s also likely that more jurisdictions will create regulations to protect consumers and the general public. Companies that have already started working toward voluntary ISO/IEC 42001 compliance will be in a better starting position than the competition because there’s a significant chance of overlap with this comprehensive AIMS framework.
Create Compliant AI Management Systems With Legit Security
ISO for artificial intelligence provides a strong framework for organizations, but companies still need actionable tools to follow responsible AI practices from development to deployment. DevOps teams must secure the entire software development lifecycle, including AI code security. By providing full visibility across your SDLC in one place, Legit Security’s AI-native application security posture management (ASPM) platform makes it easy for you to do exactly that.
Legit’s ASPM platform continuously monitors AI development pipelines for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and compliance gaps. This helps organizations build capable and innovative systems while prioritizing AI safety, ethical AI, and cybersecurity.
Find out how Legit Security can help you align your systems with ISO/IEC 42001 and other AI management systems. Book your demo to get started.
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