Control A.6.2.2 –

AI System Requirements and Specification

In today’s article by Kimova AI, we explore Annex A Control A.6.2.2 – AI System Requirements and Specification from the ISO/IEC 42001 standard. This control emphasizes the need for organizations to clearly define, document, and maintain requirements for AI systems before and during development.

Properly documented requirements ensure that AI systems are not only effective and compliant but also ethical, transparent, and aligned with business and societal objectives.

🔍 What This Control Means

Control A.6.2.2 requires organizations to establish a structured process to determine what an AI system must achieve, how it should perform, and under what constraints or conditions.

These specifications should address:

Functional Requirements – Defining the tasks, data inputs, outputs, and decision logic that the AI system must handle.
Performance Requirements – Setting measurable standards for accuracy, speed, reliability, and scalability.
Ethical and Responsible AI Requirements – Incorporating fairness, non-discrimination, explainability, and transparency into the design.
Security and Privacy Requirements – Ensuring compliance with ISMS (ISO 27001) and privacy standards such as GDPR or ISO 27701.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance – Adhering to applicable laws, sector-specific rules, and emerging AI regulations (like the EU AI Act).
Operational and Maintenance Requirements – Addressing usability, monitoring, retraining frequency, and support processes.

✅ Why It Matters

Defining AI system requirements early and precisely brings multiple advantages:

Reduces Development Risks – Prevents scope creep and helps teams align on clear deliverables.
Improves Quality and Compliance – Ensures systems meet security, ethical, and legal standards before deployment.
Supports Explainability and Accountability – Well-documented requirements make decision-making processes traceable and auditable.
Enables Continuous Improvement – Clear baselines make it easier to measure performance and identify areas for refinement.
Facilitates Collaboration – Provides a shared reference for developers, compliance officers, auditors, and business leaders.

🧭 Implementation Guidance

To effectively implement Control A.6.2.2, organizations should:

Adopt a standardized AI requirements template covering functional, technical, and ethical parameters.
Engage cross-functional stakeholders (engineering, data science, compliance, and ethics teams) during the requirements phase.
Validate requirements through risk assessments and alignment with organizational policies.
Maintain a version-controlled repository for all requirement documents and their updates.
Link each requirement to testing or validation criteria to ensure traceability throughout the AI lifecycle.

By integrating structured requirements and specifications into AI projects, organizations can demonstrate responsible governance and ensure that their systems align with both business objectives and societal expectations.

At Kimova AI, we believe that clarity in the early stages of AI development is the foundation for building trustworthy, compliant, and high-performing AI systems.

In tomorrow’s article by Kimova.AI, we’ll explore Annex A Control A.6.2.3 – Documentation of AI System Design and Development, where we’ll explore how organizations can maintain comprehensive and traceable documentation throughout the AI system’s design and development phases to support transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

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