Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS)
A set of interrelated elements to establish AI policies and objectives.
How the laws define this
Both ISO/IEC 42001:2023 and ISO/IEC 42006:2025 agree that an Artificial Intelligence Management System consists of a set of interrelated or interacting elements of an organization to establish policies and objectives, as well as processes to achieve those objectives, regarding the responsible development, provision, or use of AI systems. This shared baseline framing establishes organizational elements, policies, and processes as the essential components of an AIMS. The primary divergence between the two standards centers on whether the definition explicitly incorporates risk and opportunity management. ISO/IEC 42001:2023 limits its definition strictly to organizational elements, policies, objectives, and processes. In contrast, ISO/IEC 42006:2025 broadens the scope by explicitly stating that an AIMS provides a structured approach to managing AI-related risks and opportunities. Organizations referencing ISO/IEC 42006:2025 will therefore find risk and opportunity management codified as an explicit system purpose, whereas ISO/IEC 42001:2023 presents a definition focused solely on the organizational elements and processes themselves.
Synthesised from the 2 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.
How jurisdictions differ
What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first.
| Jurisdiction | Instrument | Status | What is distinctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO | ISO/IEC 42001:2023 - Information technology — Artificial intelligence — Management system | In Force | This definition adds 'or interacting' to describe the elements and explicitly includes 'processes to achieve those objectives'. |
| ISO | ISO/IEC 42006:2025 — Information technology — Artificial intelligence — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of artificial intelligence management systems | In Force | This definition adds that an AIMS provides a structured approach to managing AI-related risks and opportunities. |
Definitions (2)
A set of interrelated or interacting elements of an organization to establish policies and objectives, and processes to achieve those objectives, in relation to the responsible development, provision, or use of AI systems.
An AIMS refers to a set of interrelated or interacting elements of an organization intended to establish policies and objectives, and processes to achieve those objectives, in relation to the responsible development, provision, or use of AI systems. It provides a structured approach to managing AI-related risks and opportunities.
Questions and answers
How is AIMS defined in ISO/IEC 42006?
ISO/IEC 42006:2025 defines AIMS as interrelated or interacting elements to establish policies, objectives, and processes for responsible AI, providing a structured approach to managing AI-related risks and opportunities.