AI in Conformity Assessment: A Governed Reality
Artificial intelligence (AI) is often viewed as a disruptive technology that regulatory frameworks and accreditation systems must rush to keep pace with. However, within the ISO/CASCO ecosystem, this perception misses the mark. Far from being an unregulated frontier, AI is already considered, anticipated, and governed by well-established conformity assessment principles. The ISO/CASCO framework is technology neutral, focusing on outcomes, responsibilities, competence, impartiality, and trust—qualities that have proven invaluable as AI-enabled tools are increasingly incorporated into certification, inspection, and scheme management processes.
Technology Neutrality: A Forward-Thinking Foundation
The ISO/CASCO framework’s commitment to technology neutrality means that it does not chase specific trends or tools. Instead, it regulates the fundamental principles that underpin confidence in conformity assessment—regardless of whether these processes are tech-driven or manual. Recent updates to the core ISO/CASCO ISO/IEC 17000 series, which guide conformity assessment and accreditation, have begun to explicitly acknowledge the role of AI and other digital tools. AI is now considered critical whenever it impacts any stage of selection, determination, review, decision-making, attestation, surveillance, or result acceptance.
Explicit AI Governance in Major Standards
AI’s most direct and mature treatment within CASCO standards is found in ISO/IEC FDIS 17024:2025, which pertains to the certification of persons. For the first time, this standard not only defines AI but allows for its use (such as in exam invigilation), while simultaneously imposing rigorous requirements. Certification bodies that utilize AI must:
- Mitigate impartiality risks, including AI-driven bias
- Ensure continual human oversight
- Validate all AI-supported results
- Demonstrate the validity, reliability, and fairness of AI systems
- Maintain personnel competence in working with AI
- Disclose AI use to candidates who interact with these systems
Responsibility for outcomes remains with the certification body, never the algorithm itself.
In ISO/IEC DIS 17020:2025, AI is included within the concept of controlled inspection resources. AI appears as a component of automated equipment, data processing, digital inspection, and innovative non-standard methods. Inspection bodies must ensure that AI tools are:
- Validated and regularly revalidated
- Secure and maintain data integrity
- Clearly defined regarding what constitutes acceptable AI-generated data for inspection evidence
Here, AI is neither seen as an autonomous decision-maker nor as an unregulated technology, but rather as a powerful technical resource subjected to the same scrutiny as any other inspection tool.
ISO/IEC DIS 17067:2025 addresses AI at the scheme level, emphasizing accountability. Even if conformity assessment tasks are performed solely via automated or AI-based tools, human responsibility does not vanish. Those who design, deploy, or manage these tools are considered as indirectly performing conformity assessment. Scheme owners must stay accountable and transparent, especially when adopting automated technologies, to uphold confidence in assessment results.
Annex SL: The Backbone of Technology Neutrality
Annex SL, the harmonized structure for all ISO management system standards, makes no explicit mention of AI. This omission is intentional. Instead, it provides a universal backbone based on context, leadership, risk-based planning, competence, resources, operational control, performance evaluation, and ongoing improvement. Consequently, AI governance is naturally embedded as part of resources, risk, or change—without the need for specific AI clauses. This ensures these standards remain stable, coherent, and adaptable as technology evolves.
Transparency, Accountability, and Human Oversight
ISO’s guidance for the use of AI further reinforces the importance of transparency, accountability, fairness, and human oversight. It distinguishes between using AI as a tool in standards development and governing AI within the standards themselves. AI governance is not an afterthought, nor is it reactionary; it is woven into the structure of ISO deliverables through carefully considered committees and frameworks.
Already Governed, Not Under-Regulated
Collectively, these standards and documents highlight a critical reality: AI is already governed within the ISO/CASCO system. This governance does not rely on prescriptive software rules or certifying algorithms. Instead, it is maintained through enforceable requirements for:
- Responsibility and accountability
- Competence and human oversight
- Impartiality and fairness
- Validation and reliability of outcomes
- Transparency and trust
This approach avoids the pitfalls of technology-specific regulation, instead ensuring that the employment of AI does not erode confidence in conformity assessment. Notably, ISO/IEC 17024 stands as a reference point for integrating explicit AI clauses without undermining the standards’ technology-neutral foundation.
Conclusion: The Future is Now
Artificial intelligence is not a distant challenge for conformity assessment; it is a current reality that is already addressed and governed within the ISO/CASCO framework. The system’s enduring principles apply just as effectively to new AI tools as to traditional methods. In this sense, AI is simply another resource—albeit a powerful one—already brought under control by a system designed to foster trust and reliability in global conformity assessment.
This article is inspired by content from Original Source. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.