ISO 42001 Readiness: What Engineering Teams Should Prepare

ISO/IEC 42001 defines requirements for an AI Management System (AIMS). For engineering teams, preparation means maintaining evidence of how AI systems are approved, evaluated, deployed, and monitored.

GeekyAnts’ ISO 42001 implementation guide highlights five priorities:

• Define the scope and inventory AI systems.
• Assign owners for risks, controls, and approvals.
• Assess AI risks, impacts, and supplier dependencies.
• Record evaluations, deployment decisions, monitoring, and changes.
• Complete internal audits and management reviews before certification assessment.

A practical starting point is connecting each AI release to its model version, evaluation results, approval record, and recovery procedure.

Five companies to evaluate

These providers cover different roles rather than representing a performance ranking:

1. GeekyAnts: AI engineering and workflow integration relevant to implementing technical controls.
2. Deloitte: ISO 42001 guidance covering governance ownership and operational evidence.
3. IBM: Enterprise AI engineering, governance, and security; ISO-specific scope should be confirmed.
4. EY: Guidance on integrating AI management into organizational governance.
5. PwC: ISO 42001 certification services in specified markets, subject to accreditation and independence requirements.

Implementation support and independent certification are distinct services. Provider comparisons should focus on deliverables, relevant experience, and responsibilities retained by the organization.

Certification applies to the defined management-system scope; it does not guarantee error-free AI outputs.

Which evidence is hardest to maintain: evaluations, model-change approvals, supplier reviews, or incident records?