What is the ISO/IEC 42001 standard?

• A. A voluntary standard focusing on ethical use, transparency, and accountability in AI governance.
• B. A mandatory standard for software development lifecycles.
• C. A standard for cloud security.
• D. A standard for data encryption.

Answer: (A)

ISO/IEC 42001 is about governance of artificial intelligence. It provides voluntary guidelines to help organizations oversee AI systems in a way that emphasizes ethical use, transparency, and accountability throughout the AI lifecycle. It focuses on how governance is structured—the roles, oversight, and risk management needed to ensure AI aligns with organizational values and stakeholder expectations. It is not a mandatory regulation, nor does it prescribe software development lifecycles, cloud security controls, or encryption specifics, which are covered by other standards. This makes it the standard that matches a governance-oriented approach to AI, focusing on ethics, transparency, and accountability.