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Businesses should adopt rigorous assessments of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to ensure they are safe, reliable and effective, according to new guidance from EY and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
The policy paper – AI Assessments: Enhancing Confidence in AI – sets out how businesses and policymakers can use assessments to strengthen governance, compliance and performance as AI adoption accelerates.
EY and ACCA said the approach can help companies evaluate whether their systems are well governed, legally compliant and operating as intended, increasing confidence among customers, employees and investors.
The paper highlights three main types of assessment: governance, to evaluate oversight structures; conformity, to check compliance with laws and standards; and performance, to measure systems against quality and output targets.
Marie-Laure Delarue, global vice-chair for assurance at EY, said: “AI has been advancing faster than many of us could have imagined, and it now faces an inflection point, presenting incredible opportunities as well as complexities and risks.
“It is hard to overstate the importance of ensuring safe and effective adoption of AI. Rigorous assessments are an important tool to help build confidence in the technology, and confidence is the key to unlocking AI’s full potential as a driver of growth and prosperity.”
Helen Brand, chief executive of ACCA, added: “As AI scales across the economy, the ability to trust the technology is vital for the public interest. This is an area where we need to bridge skills gaps and build trust in the AI ecosystem as part of driving sustainable business.”
The guidance also warns that current assessment frameworks face challenges around clarity of purpose, methodology and consistency. It recommends policymakers define clear criteria, encourage internationally compatible standards and support capacity-building for providers.
The publication comes amid global moves to tighten oversight of AI, including recent government action plans emphasising the role of rigorous evaluations in regulated industries.
