ISO 42001 - AI Objectives and Planning to Achieve Them (Clause 6.2)

Created in June 27, 2025

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ISO 42001: AI Objectives and Planning to Achieve Them (Clause 6.2) with TurboAudit by [Kimova AI](https://kimova.ai)

After identifying risks and opportunities (Clause 6.1), the next logical step is to define objectives—clear, actionable targets that give direction to your AI governance efforts. Clause 6.2 of ISO/IEC 42001 ensures that an organization not only commits to responsible AI in principle, but also translates that commitment into specific, measurable goals.

An effective AI Management System (AIMS) depends on objectives that are aligned with both the organization’s strategy and the unique demands of AI technologies.

What Clause 6.2 Requires

According to ISO 42001, organizations must establish AI-related objectives that:

  • Are consistent with the AI policy
  • Are measurable, where practicable
  • Take into account applicable requirements
  • Consider identified risks and opportunities
  • Are monitored and communicated
  • Are updated as necessary

  • Include plans to achieve them, specifying:

    • What will be done
    • What resources will be required
    • Who will be responsible
    • When it will be completed
    • How the results will be evaluated

This is not about generic mission statements. It’s about defining concrete targets—and backing them with a realistic implementation plan.

Why Objectives Matter for AI Governance

In AI, ambiguity leads to inconsistency and risk. Without defined objectives:

  • Teams may interpret responsible AI differently
  • There is no basis for prioritization or decision-making
  • Measuring performance becomes difficult
  • Continual improvement efforts become unfocused

By contrast, well-defined objectives allow organizations to:

  • Track progress on ethical and regulatory commitments
  • Allocate resources effectively
  • Evaluate the performance of AI systems against intended outcomes
  • Identify where interventions are needed

Examples of Good AI Objectives

Well-formulated objectives vary by organization, but should always be specific and actionable. For example:

Weak Objective Improved Objective
“Make AI more ethical” “Reduce model bias in the loan approval system by 50% within 6 months through improved training data diversity and fairness checks.”
“Comply with AI regulations” “Achieve full alignment with the EU AI Act’s transparency requirements for all high-risk systems by Q4 2025.”
“Improve AI system quality” “Implement post-deployment monitoring for 100% of production AI systems by the end of Q2.”

Each objective should include a timeline, a responsible party, and performance indicators to allow for meaningful evaluation.

How to Set and Manage AI Objectives

  1. Start from your AI policy and risk analysis: Objectives should reflect your commitments and the specific risks you identified in Clause 6.1.
  2. Engage cross-functional stakeholders: Set objectives that are relevant to teams across data science, compliance, legal, and product.
  3. Use SMART criteria: Make objectives Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
  4. Embed in operational plans: Ensure objectives are not stand-alone—they should be part of project planning, team KPIs, and governance reviews.
  5. Review regularly: As your AI landscape evolves, so should your objectives. Consider quarterly or biannual reviews to adjust priorities.

Common Pitfalls

  • Setting vague or overly broad objectives
  • Creating objectives without stakeholder input
  • Failing to track or report progress
  • Focusing only on technical performance, while ignoring ethical or social objectives

Conclusion

Clause 6.2 of ISO 42001 ensures that AI governance moves from vision to execution. By setting clear, meaningful objectives, organizations can direct their resources, manage risk, and measure progress in a way that supports responsible, transparent, and effective AI deployment.

In tomorrow’s article, we will explore Clause 6.3: Planning of Changes—how to ensure that adjustments to your AI systems or management framework are made in a controlled, deliberate, and compliant manner.

Stay tuned, and subscribe if you haven’t already—this journey through ISO 42001 is just the beginning.

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