Why AI standards will be at the heart of an AI future

Image by Colin Behrens from Pixabay

In a week where Google goes nuclear to power its data centres and AI is recognized in the Nobel Prize awards for both physics and chemistry, international AI standards experts also met to debate the issues and advance solutions to enable the technology to thrive.

As the IEC President Jo Cops emphasized in his keynote speech at the 14th Plenary of the joint IEC and ISO committee for AI, SC 42 held in Versailles, France last week: "International standards play a vital role in building a foundation for a safer, more efficient world in which the transformative and innovative potential of AI can be harnessed responsibly."

Mr Cops also highlighted five reasons why ISO/IEC standards will be at the heart of an AI future:

• They cover the entire AI ecosystem, including terminology, governance, risk management, cyber security and ethical considerations

• They provide guidance and best practices for AI applications across various domains and sectors, such as health, education, manufacturing, energy and transport

• They facilitate conformity assessment: testing, inspection, verification certification and auditing

• They are developed with the input from a broad and diverse range of stakeholders.

• They are global and consensus based.

The plenary was held just before World Standards Day, held on 14th October each year, the theme of which was Achieving industry, innovation and infrastructure through AI, focusing on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9.

Held in Versailles, France, the event attracted hundreds of AI experts from more than 65 nations to discuss current trends and opportunities and develop guidance and solutions to advance responsible AI.

A number of new projects were agreed and existing projects were progressed including several new standards to support the new management system standard for AI, ISO/IEC 42001, such as impact of an AI system (ISO/IEC 42005), requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of AI (ISO/IEC 42006) and guidelines for auditing an AI management system.

In addition, many publications were progressed such as guidance for a taxonomy of AI systems methods and capabilities, guidance on lightweight AI systems and guidance on the application of AI technologies in health informatics.

The event was opened with keynote speeches from high level executives in the industry including Gabriella Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO; Acting Head of the OECD Division on AI and Emerging Digital Technologies, Karine Perset; and Ambassador Thomas Schneider, Chair of the Committee on AI for the Council of Europe.

SC 42 develops international standards for AI, taking a holistic approach to consider the entire AI ecosystem. It looks at technology capability and non-technical requirements, such as business, regulatory and policy requirements, application domain needs, and ethical and societal concerns.

The committee organizes regular workshops on AI to discuss emerging trends, technology, requirements and applications as well as the role of standards. They bring together innovators at the frontier of AI development from diverse locations, sectors and backgrounds involved in research, deployment, standardization, startups, applications and oversight.

Hear more from SC 42 Chair Wael William Diab about the committee and its work in this video.

The next workshop will be held on 9 and 11 December. Learn more.