What sort of standards is the AI Standards Hub focused on?

Our focus in this introduction – and the focus of the AI Standards Hub – is on standards produced by recognised Standards Development Organisations (SDOs), sometimes referred to as ‘technical standards’. SDOs are standard-setting organisations that follow certain principles [link to process section] and are often formally recognised in international treaties and regulations.

Standards of this kind can be defined as documents developed through consensus-building processes and approved by a recognised body. They provide common and repeatable rules, guidelines and characteristics for activities or their results, and are aimed at providing order in each context.

Throughout this introduction, we will be using the term ‘standards’ rather than the more specific term ‘technical standards’ which is sometimes used when discussing standards developed by SDOs. The term ‘technical standards’ is commonly used in policymaking and academia to help make clear their distinction from regulatory, professional, industry and other types of standards. However, the term is not widely used beyond these circles. When we engaged with stakeholders, we found that in broader usage, the term often causes confusion since standards of the relevant kind can take a variety of forms [link to kinds of standards section] many of which are not strictly ‘technical’ as the name suggests.