ISO 42001 vs ISO 27001: What's the Difference?
TL;DR
ISO 27001 focuses on information security management systems (ISMS), while ISO 42001 specifically addresses AI management systems (AIMS). ISO 42001 complements ISO 27001 by adding AI-specific governance, risk taxonomy, and lifecycle controls. Organizations typically implement both: ISO 27001 for foundational security controls and ISO 42001 for AI-specific governance. The standards share management system structure but differ in scope, risk considerations, and control objectives.
Key Facts
ISO 27001 covers information security broadly; ISO 42001 focuses specifically on AI systems.
ISO 42001 is designed to complement, not replace, ISO 27001.
Both standards follow the same high-level management system structure (Annex SL).
ISO 42001 addresses AI-specific risks like prompt injection, model drift, and algorithmic bias.
ISO 42001 emphasizes AI lifecycle management from development to decommissioning.
Implementation Steps
Assess current ISO 27001 implementation and identify gaps for AI governance.
Map existing ISO 27001 controls to ISO 42001 requirements to avoid duplication.
Implement AI-specific controls not covered by ISO 27001 (e.g., model validation, prompt security).
Integrate AIMS processes with existing ISMS processes for efficiency.
Plan unified audit approach covering both standards simultaneously.
Glossary
- ISMS
- Information Security Management System - framework for managing information security
- AIMS
- AI Management System - framework for managing AI throughout its lifecycle
- Annex SL
- ISO framework providing common structure for management system standards
- Model drift
- Degradation of AI model performance over time due to changing conditions
- Algorithmic bias
- Systematic errors in AI decision-making that favor certain groups over others
- Prompt security
- Protection against malicious manipulation of AI system inputs
References
- [1] ISO 42001 AI Management Systems Standard https://www.iso.org/standard/78380.html
- [2] ISO 27001 Information Security Management https://www.iso.org/standard/82875.html
- [3] ISO Management System Standards Overview https://www.iso.org/management-system-standards.html
Machine-readable Facts
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