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    AI Policy Radar

    ISO/IEC 42001

    Fast becoming the procurement passport for enterprise AI — buyers increasingly require 42001 certification, and regulators treat alignment as evidence of reasonable care. Harmonised EU standards under the AI Act will interlock with it.

    What it is

    The first certifiable AI management-system standard (the 'ISO 27001 of AI'): organizations implement risk-based AI governance, controls and continuous improvement, with third-party certification growing rapidly since 2024.

    Who is affected

    Fast becoming the procurement passport for enterprise AI — buyers increasingly require 42001 certification, and regulators treat alignment as evidence of reasonable care. Harmonised EU standards under the AI Act will interlock with it.

    Key obligations

    • Voluntary/certifiable: AI management system with risk controls, impact assessment, lifecycle governance

    Recent signals

    • 2 September 2026

      US presses a light-touch AI line at the G20 as the EU proceeds with enforcement

      At the G20 digital track the United States argued against binding AI rules while the European Commission continued applying the AI Act — the clearest statement yet that the transatlantic regulatory gap is now policy, not lag.

    • 7 July 2026

      UN Global Dialogue's first session draws 163 delegations

      The Geneva session was co-chaired by El Salvador and Estonia. The 40-member Independent International Scientific Panel, co-chaired by Yoshua Bengio and Maria Ressa, presented its first preliminary report.

    • 6 July 2026

      UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance launches in Geneva

      The first universal-membership AI governance forum convenes, alongside the Independent International Scientific Panel established by the August 2025 GA resolution.

    • 26 August 2025

      UN establishes Independent Scientific Panel and Global Dialogue on AI

      The General Assembly creates the first universal AI governance mechanisms, implementing the Global Digital Compact.