What is AI Management System (AIMS)?
An AI Management System (AIMS) is the set of policies, processes, and controls an organization uses to govern its development and use of artificial intelligence responsibly. ISO/IEC 42001:2023 is the first certifiable international standard for an AIMS, structured like ISO 27001 with management-system clauses plus Annex A controls (38 controls under 9 objectives) selected via a Statement of Applicability.
An AIMS extends the familiar management-system model to AI-specific risks such as bias, transparency, safety, accountability, and the impacts of AI systems on individuals and society. ISO/IEC 42001:2023, published in December 2023, is the first certifiable standard for one. It follows the same structure as ISO 27001 -- requirements in clauses 4-10 -- and includes an Annex A of 38 reference controls organized under 9 control objectives, covering areas like AI policy, internal organization, resources, impact assessment, and the AI system lifecycle.
For example, an organization deploying a customer-facing AI model would use an AIMS to define accountability for the system, assess its impact on affected people, document data and model management practices, and monitor performance over time -- with each applicable Annex A control recorded in a Statement of Applicability.
Because ISO 42001 mirrors ISO 27001's structure, an AI governance policy toolkit gives you the policies, impact-assessment templates, and SoA already aligned to the standard, dramatically shortening the drafting work. The documents accelerate readiness, but an AIMS only delivers value -- and a certificate only follows -- when the governance processes actually operate and an accredited body audits them.
Related terms: AI Risk Management · Algorithmic Impact Assessment · High-Risk AI System · Statement of Applicability (SoA)
Frequently asked questions
- What standard defines an AI Management System?
- ISO/IEC 42001:2023, published in December 2023, is the first certifiable international standard for an AI Management System (AIMS). It uses the same management-system structure as ISO 27001.
- How many controls does ISO 42001 have?
- ISO/IEC 42001 Annex A contains 38 controls organized under 9 control objectives. As with ISO 27001, you select the applicable controls and justify inclusions and exclusions in a Statement of Applicability.
- Is ISO 42001 the same as the EU AI Act?
- No. ISO 42001 is a voluntary, certifiable management-system standard, while the EU AI Act is binding regulation. Implementing an ISO 42001 AIMS can help demonstrate responsible AI governance, but it does not by itself guarantee legal compliance with the AI Act.
Toolkits that cover AI Management System (AIMS)
ISO 42001 AI Management System Toolkit
14 editable ISO/IEC 42001:2023 policies and procedures — impact assessments, AI lifecycle, data governance, third-party AI — plus the Annex A Statement of Applicability, an AI risk register, and an audit evidence checklist.
AI Governance Policy Pack
10 editable AI policies aligned to the EU AI Act and NIST AI RMF, plus an AI risk register — govern workplace AI before regulators and clients ask.
Startup Trust Pack — SOC 2 + AI Governance
25 editable documents bundling the SOC 2 Core policy set with the full AI Governance pack — answer enterprise security questionnaires AND the new AI-policy questions in one purchase.
Learn more in our ISO 42001 guide, explore the editable policy templates, or browse the full compliance glossary.