ISO 42001: The Strategic AI Advantage Your Business Can’t Afford Not Having!

In Ireland and the UK, businesses are increasingly seeking opportunities to implement and deploy AI; however, concerns about governance and security persist. Whether you’re creating new AI products, enhancing existing services with AI, or simply using AI tools in your daily operations, the challenge about what solutions to use, who to trust, and “how do I ensure I don’t build something that gets me into trouble later” are common questions.

Why do you need AI governance?

Secure, ethical, and high-quality AI is the real competitive advantage today!

The real value of AI comes not just from deploying it, but also from doing so in a way that is consistent, secure, aligned with business purpose, and compliant with emerging regulations like the EU AI Act. Unfortunately, many organisations struggle with this. Common issues include poor transparency in AI decision-making, unclear roles and policies, weak data quality controls, and insufficient oversight mechanisms.

To address these challenges and turn responsible AI into a strategic advantage, organisations need a structured framework that builds on existing strengths.

Why ISO 42001 Builds on What You Already Have

As a possible approach, if your company already holds ISO 27001 certification, obtaining ISO 42001 is a logical progression. The good news? ISO 42001 and ISO 27001 standards share significant common ground. Here’s where they overlap, making integration straightforward:

1. Establishing clear roles for both information security and AI.
2. Expanding your current policy structures to account for AI.
3. Enhancing risk assessment and management to cover AI-specific concerns.
4. Including AI in your internal audit scope.
5. Embedding AI governance into your system development lifecycle.
6. Incorporating AI risk into your third-party assessments.
7. Engaging certification bodies to assess both frameworks in tandem.

What’s New in ISO 42001

Unlike ISO 27001,  ISO 42001 introduces tailored requirements to help businesses govern AI responsibly: 

• AI Governance Policies: Explicitly written for AI lifecycle stages.
• AI System Impact Assessment: Evaluates ethical and operational implications.
• 38 Additional Controls: Address unique risks like bias, explainability, and algorithmic accountability.

This standard was developed to help organisations avoid the governance gaps that have already caused significant problems in sectors like housing, finance, and recruitment, where poorly governed AI has led to lawsuits and reputational damage. 

Getting There: A Practical Path

For organisations with an existing ISO 27001 programme, adding ISO 42001 is relatively straightforward, typically involving these steps:

1. Gap Assessment:  Identify where your current system needs to evolve.
2. Make Improvements: Introduce AI-specific controls and documentation.
3. Combine Systems: Move toward a unified management system.
4. Certification Readiness:  Prepare for an integrated audit.

By doing this, your organisation gains a defensible, globally recognised foundation for ethical innovation, market access, and regulatory readiness.

Looking for clarity on AI governance?

We’ve created a practical, easy-to-follow E-book that explores how organisations can build trust in their AI systems through structured governance. It breaks down the latest industry standards, outlines common pitfalls to avoid, and provides actionable steps to align AI use with business strategy and regulatory expectations.

Download the E-book now to take the first step toward responsible, secure, and scalable AI adoption.