Shaping global AI standards with Craig Pattison

From 20-24 October, Standards Australia hosted more than 180 of the brightest minds in artificial intelligence from across the world.  To date, the ISO/IEC JTC 1 SC 42 committee has published 41 ISO/IEC standards, with an additional 47 standards currently in development and meets for plenaries annually across the world.

In attendance was New Zealand’s head of delegation Craig Pattison, who recently marked a milestone volunteering with standards development for two decades, giving immeasurable hours of contributions. Craig has been championing New Zealand’s perspective and industry needs helping to shape significant international standards including ISO 31000 risk management, ISO 27000 Information security management systems, ISO 38500 governance of IT, ISO 20000 IT service management, and now head of delegation for JTC 1 SC42 42001 and TC 347 focusing on artificial intelligence (AI).

AI standards matter for better business

Craig has been at the forefront of AI standards, and its wider information technology operating environment, since their early inception.  AI is no longer a niche technology - it’s embedded across industries from healthcare and finance to agriculture and creative sectors. Safe, effective, and inclusive use relies on governance, functional safety, data quality, and transparency.

Craig explains ‘Standards are enablers. If you follow them, you’ll have a better business. If your business complies with international standards, it just makes it so much easier when you’re talking to regulators, legislators, partners, or investors.’

International standards provide a practical roadmap for responsible AI adoption. They codify ethics, governance, and risk management, enabling organisations to demonstrate trustworthiness and unlock global partnerships.

Learning from Australia

Craig notes the momentum across the Tasman. ‘Australia is taking a very keen interest in AI standards and quickly established a large mirror committee of 26. The event was also attended by local ministers keen to understand the role standards play from both an economic and a governance perspective. New Zealand needs to keep pace. Without robust frameworks, businesses risk falling behind in trust, compliance, and international competitiveness.’

New Zealand punches above its weight

Craig identifies what makes New Zealand effective at implementing new innovations well. ‘We have two degrees of separation meaning we can get in front of decision makers, chief executives and government ministers far more easily than other countries. We can be a test bed for industries and innovation and shouldn’t underestimate the potential for foreign investment that can come from innovating with AI.’

Despite our size, New Zealand has a strong voice internationally. ‘Although we’re just over five million people - the size of Melbourne - people are genuinely interested in listening to us. We bring independence, clarity, and an indigenous perspective that many other countries don’t, and we maintain that pressure for indigenous inclusion at plenaries.’

Indigenous leadership

New Zealand’s leadership in Indigenous data sovereignty and ethical frameworks has captured global attention. ‘The international community is really engaged with what New Zealand is trying to do. The AI Forum(external link)’s Kahui Māori group is exploring principles such as manaakitanga, data sovereignty, and tikanga. This work is unique and can help shape AI and large language models that reflect non-Western ways of thinking and linguistic structures, including those of Indigenous languages such as Inuktitut or Louisiana Creole. Ultimately, this will help make AI more accessible and inclusive.’

Key developments from the Sydney meeting

The technical focus of the week centred on both emerging standards and recently published standards including:

• ISO/IEC 42001:2025 Information technology – Artificial intelligence – Management system(external link)
• ISO/IEC 42005: 2025 Information technology — Artificial intelligence (AI) — AI system impact assessment(external link)

They also advanced progress on standards under development including ISO/IEC 25568 for guidance on addressing risks in generative AI systems, ISO/IEC 42007 for high-level framework and guidance for the development of conformity assessment schemes for AI systems (essentially for accreditation and certification) and human-machine teaming standards

The committee is a standing committee established in 2017, and once they publish a standard, they reconvene to continue the development for the next iteration’, says Craig. You can see all the standards under development and revision here:

Standard and/or project under the direct responsibility of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 Secretariat(external link)

Practical use cases

There is a vast range of standards relating to AI and Craig sees enormous potential for real-world applications. ‘Imagine using AI standards to reduce mastitis and increase yields from dairy herds, or for animal management with halter collars that keep cows in one area without fencing so they eat the grass all the way down, increasing cropping. Or improving emergency department wait times. I’m working with schools to help them use AI to develop lesson plans that break down and differentiate curriculum content.’

What’s next?

‘Part of my role is in advocating and encouraging others to use AI solutions or integrate the standards,‘ says Craig. ‘New Zealand can’t and doesn’t need to compete with large AI developers like Microsoft, Amazon or Google, but projects utilising software can be a testbed for socially impactful, human-centred AI applications. I would love to hear from organisations using AI and standards to improve practice.’ Craig and New Zealand’s mirror committee are advocating for:

• National consultation to gather broader industry perspectives that inform New Zealand’s voice on the international stage.
• Greater adoption of foundational standards like ISO/IEC 42001 and 42005.
• Case studies showcasing real-world applications of AI standards
• Industry engagement to shift the narrative from compliance to enablement

His call to action is clear - ‘If you’re looking for a point of difference in a tough market, leverage international standards. They’re affordable, practical, and unlock global opportunities. For a small price you gain the benefits of knowledge, experience and six years of development from over 50 countries. As AI use grows globally using the standards that underpin that use will only help New Zealand innovators keep pace, demonstrate trust and anchor innovation with good practice.’

If you are using AI standards to improve your practice and wish to share with Craig and Standards New Zealand, pleased email editor@standards.govt.nz