When Two Worlds Meet - A Historic Certification Journey in Strömstad

When we at SamCert AB decided to become certified according to the new ISO standard ISO/IEC 42001, we knew we were facing an exciting challenge. As the first company in Sweden and one of the few in the world to begin interpreting and complying with the standard's requirements, we were truly pioneers.

We not only had to meet the basic standard's chapters 4-10, but also understand and master the 38 entirely new security measures in Annex A. We realized that this would require both precision and innovation, and we approached the task with great enthusiasm.

Anil Makhija, the auditor from DNV, had traveled for 24 hours from his home in New Delhi when he arrived in Strömstad. He was picked up at the airport by my daughter in the company car. After a well-deserved rest at the hotel, he was ready to visit our office on a clear and sunny Monday morning.

His impressive background in IT governance and AI development, along with many years of experience in ISO auditing, made him the perfect candidate to lead this historic audit. When we met for the first time in the hotel lobby, I immediately felt that we were dealing with an expert of the highest caliber.

The audit began with a review of our AI management system. Anil was thorough and methodical, and his questions were both insightful and challenging. It was clear that he was not just there to audit us, but also to contribute to our development. Our discussions were intense and sometimes demanding, but always marked by mutual respect and a shared pursuit of excellence.

One of the memorable moments during these three days was when we took a walk after lunch and my daughter took some beautiful pictures of us. In the photo, we are standing in front of the beautiful harbor in Strömstad. Anil and I, two experienced auditors from completely different parts of the world, were united by our common goal of ensuring quality and safety in AI. It was a symbolic moment that reminded me of our shared agenda and the importance of international cooperation and exchange of experiences.

During the audit, we found many commonalities and learned a lot from each other. Anil shared his experiences from the depths of his areas of expertise, and I was able to contribute my insights from our implementation processes. Together, we found a common path forward in interpreting the new requirements.

On the last day, Anil interviewed my team of experienced experts in various ISO areas, particularly in organization and management systems. The interviews delved deeply into questions about the implementation of our new principles and procedures for the credible and responsible use of AI.

After the interviews, we went to the best hotel in town to take more pictures. There was an enormous sense of team spirit as we walked together in a group towards the camera, all feeling: "We did it! We are showing the world what we can do!"

When the audit was concluded and we received the news that we had met the certification requirements, I felt an immense pride. It was not only a confirmation of our hard work but also proof that we were on the right path.

This is a personal story written by Ann-Sofie Gustafsson.