A flurry of dialog has been ongoing since I last posted my opinion that ISO42001 is both a governance and management system.
Thank you.
Our community will only mature when we’re able to openly test ideas. Those that have merit will survive and become part of our culture, those that do not will fade away in to obscurity.
For those who are staunch opponents to accepting 42001 as anything but a management system, I thought it best to unpack the data points that influenced my opinion in a longer form article linked below.
➡️To summarize for sake of those who prefer the TL;DR (😊):
#ISO42001 is both a governance and management system for AI.
It embeds oversight, accountability, and continuous improvement into every stage of the AI lifecycle.
If you’ve worked with COBIT, ISO38500, or ISO37000, you’ll recognize the pattern.
To explicate how these three ISO standards work together:
🔸#ISO37000 defines what governance means across all domains:
A human-based system by which an organization is directed, overseen, and held accountable for achieving its purpose.
It outlines foundational principles: purpose, strategy, accountability, stakeholder engagement, and risk governance.
🔸#ISO38507 brings that governance lens to AI.
It guides boards and executives to evaluate AI risks and opportunities, direct strategy and policies, and retain accountability for outcomes—even when decisions are automated.
It reminds us: accountability cannot be delegated to AI.
🔸#ISO42001 puts governance into action.
It's often misunderstood as purely operational. But read closely, and you’ll find it embeds:
🔹Evaluation – Clauses 4, 6.1.2, and 6.1.4 require organizations to assess AI risks, stakeholder expectations, and societal impact.
🔹Direction – Clauses 5 and 6.2 place top management in charge of setting policy, roles, and measurable objectives.
🔹Monitoring – Clauses 9 and 10 require internal audits, performance reviews, and corrective action.
This mirrors the "Evaluate–Direct–Monitor" model of ISO38500 and #COBIT. It’s governance, backed by a certifiable structure.
At the same time, ISO42001 includes management controls for resource allocation, training, documentation, operational planning, and AI-specific risk treatment.
➡️ISO42001 is where governance meets execution.
It integrates strategy and policy with daily practice and auditability.
If you're building an AI Governance Framework, align all three:
🔸ISO37000 – The big-picture governance principles
🔸ISO38507 – The boardroom view of AI oversight
🔸ISO42001 – The operational layer where governance becomes reality
Don't forgo the opportunity to Govern your AI: intentionally, responsibly, and transparently.
A-LIGN #TheBusinessofCompliance #ComplianceAlignedtoYou
