A.11.1 Intended Use of AI Systems — ISO 42001 Control

What this means

This control mandates that your organization document the intended purpose of each AI system before deployment. Documentation must specify: the target user population (who is authorized to use it), operating conditions (environments and scenarios where it's safe), known limitations (accuracy gaps, bias risks, performance constraints), and prohibited or restricted use categories. The goal is preventing misuse—both accidental deployment in inappropriate contexts and intentional circumvention of safety boundaries. This documentation becomes your first line of defense in an AI governance program.

How to comply

1. 1.Inventory all AI systems in your organization, including third-party tools, models, and custom implementations.
2. 2.For each system, document the specific intended use case in plain language (e.g., 'fraud detection for transactions above $5,000').
3. 3.Define the target user population by role, department, or access level with justification.
4. 4.Identify and document operating conditions: data types, volume, quality thresholds, and environmental constraints where the system is reliable.
5. 5.Catalog known limitations explicitly: accuracy rates, demographic performance gaps, edge cases, and failure modes discovered during testing or in production.
6. 6.Define prohibited use categories (e.g., 'not for hiring decisions without human review') and restricted use cases requiring additional safeguards.
7. 7.Establish a review process to validate documentation against actual deployment and usage patterns quarterly.
8. 8.Train users on intended use documentation and make it accessible during system onboarding.

Evidence auditors look for

• Intended Use Register documenting purpose, target users, and limitations for each AI system.
• Technical documentation specifying operating conditions, input data specifications, and performance benchmarks.
• Risk assessment identifying prohibited uses and categories requiring additional controls (e.g., bias mitigation, explainability).
• User training materials and onboarding checklists referencing intended use boundaries.
• Deployment approval forms cross-referenced to intended use documentation.
• Audit logs showing system usage aligned with documented intended use within defined user populations.
• Change logs tracking updates to intended use documentation following system updates or production incidents.

Frequently asked questions

GRCWatch automates intended use documentation collection, version control, and user acknowledgment workflows—ensuring your AI systems remain bounded and auditable without manual tracking spreadsheets.

See how GRCWatch handles this control automatically

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