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AI GOVERNANCE GUIDE

ISO 42001 vs ISO 27001: what should a company using artificial intelligence implement?

Companies using artificial intelligence need to answer two different questions: how to govern AI use and how to protect the information that makes it possible. ISO/IEC 42001 and ISO/IEC 27001 help organize both responsibilities.

What is ISO/IEC 42001?

ISO/IEC 42001 is the standard for an artificial intelligence management system. It helps define AI policies, responsibilities, AI risk assessment, human oversight, traceability, controls and continual improvement throughout an AI system's lifecycle.

What is ISO/IEC 27001?

ISO/IEC 27001 establishes an information security management system. Its focus is protecting information confidentiality, integrity and availability through risk management, access control, asset management, incident response, continuity and organizational and technological controls.

ISO 42001 vs ISO 27001: key differences

ISO 42001 focuses on making artificial intelligence responsible, explainable, supervised and governable. ISO 27001 focuses on protecting information, infrastructure and access. For a company operating AI agents, the two frameworks complement each other: one governs the intelligent system and the other protects the environment where it operates.

What should a company using AI implement?

Start with a diagnosis of processes, data, stakeholders and risks. Then prioritize use cases, define an architecture with roles and access, document policies and controls, validate system behavior and establish monitoring, audit and continual improvement. Not every company needs to approach both standards with the same depth from day one.

Practical implementation map

AI governanceUsage policies, roles, human oversight and impact assessment.
Artificial intelligence risksIdentification, treatment and monitoring of risks associated with the model and process.
Security for AI agentsRole-based access, data protection, secrets management, logs and incidents.
AI auditEvidence of decisions, versions, sources, evaluations and changes.

Related topics

ISO 42001 ColombiaISO 42001 for companiesISO 42001 implementationISO 42001 consultingAI agent governanceHow to govern ChatGPT and Copilot in companiesAI governance ColombiaAI risk assessment

FAQ

Does ISO 42001 replace ISO 27001?

No. ISO 42001 governs artificial intelligence and ISO 27001 manages information security. They are complementary frameworks.

Can a company implement ISO 42001 without certifying its products?

Yes. An organizational management system or certification does not automatically mean that every product or solution is certified.

How do you start governing AI agents?

Start by inventorying agents and use cases, classifying risks, assigning owners, establishing human oversight and recording operational evidence.