Conclusion

Putting AI ethics into practice goes beyond simply adhering to abstract principles. It requires a structured approach to managing risks and impacts, for which ISO/IEC 42001 serves as the reference framework. The documented cases of Amazon, COMPAS, and Obermeyer demonstrate that good intentions are not enough: without rigorous processes for identifying, analyzing, and addressing biases, AI systems can perpetuate and amplify systemic discrimination.

The ISO/IEC 42001 standard offers a pragmatic response to this challenge by addressing three complementary dimensions: the assessment of organizational risks (Section 6.1.2), the management of these risks through appropriate controls (Section 6.1.3 and Annex A), and the evaluation of societal impacts beyond the organization’s own interests (Section 6.1.4). This three-pronged approach enables the transformation of ethical...