Define and Allocate AI Roles and Responsibilities
Your organisation must clearly decide who is responsible for each part of managing artificial intelligence and formally assign those responsibilities to named people.
Plain language
Artificial intelligence (AI) does not manage itself. Someone has to decide which tools to use, check they are safe and fair, keep an eye on how they behave, and step in when something goes wrong. This control says your organisation must work out exactly what jobs need doing to manage AI responsibly, and then give each of those jobs to a specific person or team so nothing falls through the cracks. Think of it like running a kitchen. You need someone ordering ingredients, someone cooking, someone checking the food is safe to serve, and someone in charge overall. If nobody is clearly assigned to each task, mistakes happen and no one knows whose fault it is. The same is true for AI: roles such as who approves new AI tools, who monitors them, and who answers customer or regulator questions all need a clear owner. The roles you create should fit the size and needs of your organisation. A small business might give several AI duties to one or two people, while a larger organisation might need a dedicated team. The key is that responsibilities are written down, allocated to real people, and understood by everyone involved.
Framework
ISO/IEC 42001:2023
Control effect
Preventative
Classifications
N/A
Official last update
01 Dec 2023
Control Stack last updated
18 June 2026
Maturity levels
N/A
Official control statement
Roles and responsibilities for AI shall be defined and allocated according to the needs of the organisation.
Why it matters
If AI roles are unclear, no one owns key decisions, problems go unnoticed, and accountability gaps can lead to harm, breaches, or regulatory failure.
Operational notes
Keep one source of truth for AI role allocations and update it whenever staff change or new AI tools are adopted, so duties never lapse unowned.
Implementation tips
- Senior management lists every task needed to manage artificial intelligence (AI) safely, such as approving new AI tools, monitoring performance, handling complaints, and reporting to the board, then writes each one into a simple roles document.
- The AI management lead assigns each listed responsibility to a named person or team and records this in role descriptions or job descriptions, so every duty has a clear owner rather than being left to chance.
- Human resources updates the position descriptions or employment contracts of staff who carry AI duties, making the AI responsibilities an official part of their role rather than an informal add-on.
- The AI management lead holds a short briefing with each person assigned an AI role so they understand what is expected of them, who they report to, and where their authority begins and ends.
- Senior management reviews the allocation of AI roles at least once a year, or whenever the organisation adopts new AI tools or restructures, and reassigns duties so no responsibility is left without an owner.
Audit / evidence tips
- Aska document or chart that lists the artificial intelligence (AI) roles and responsibilities across the organisation Goodversion names specific people or teams against each AI duty rather than vague references to a department
- Look atthe job descriptions or role descriptions of staff named as AI owners. Good evidence shows the AI responsibilities written explicitly into those descriptions, not just mentioned verbally
- Askhow responsibilities were decided and whether they match the size and needs of the organisation Goodshows the allocation was deliberate and proportionate, not copied blindly from a template
- Look atevidence that the assigned people know their AI responsibilities, such as briefing notes, training records, or meeting minutes. Good evidence shows the people named can describe their own duties when asked
- Askwhen the role allocation was last reviewed and updated. Good practice is a review at least annually and after any major change, such as adopting a new AI tool, with records showing duties were reassigned where needed
Cross-framework mappings
How Annex A 3.2 relates to controls across ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, Essential Eight, and ASD ISM.
ISO 27001
| Control | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|
| sync_alt Partially overlaps (1) expand_less | ||
| Annex A 5.2 | Annex A 3.2 requires organisations to govern AI by defining roles for AI management across its lifecycle | |
| handshake Supports (1) expand_less | ||
| Annex A 5.8 | Annex A 3.2 requires the organisation to define and allocate AI roles and responsibilities | |
ASD ISM
| Control | Notes | Details |
|---|---|---|
| sync_alt Partially overlaps (2) expand_less | ||
| ISM-0043 | Annex A 3.2 requires the organisation to define and allocate AI roles and responsibilities | |
| ISM-0717 | Annex A 3.2 requires AI roles and responsibilities to be defined broadly, while ISM-0717 mandates the CISO to oversee cybersecurity perso... | |
| handshake Supports (4) expand_less | ||
| ISM-0041 | Annex A 3.2 requires defined and allocated AI roles and responsibilities to ensure accountable AI governance | |
| ISM-0726 | Annex A 3.2 requires defined and allocated AI roles and responsibilities | |
| ISM-1071 | Annex A 3.2 requires the organisation to define and allocate AI roles and responsibilities to meet organisational needs | |
| ISM-1525 | Annex A 3.2 requires defined and allocated AI roles and responsibilities across the AI lifecycle | |
These mappings show relationships between controls across frameworks. They do not imply full equivalence or certification.
Want to implement this AI control?
Mindset Cyber runs PECB-accredited ISO/IEC 42001 training that maps directly to the AI controls in this library.