AI Governance Framework
ISO 42001 and EU AI Act aligned runtime governance for enterprise AI systems.
An AI governance framework is the set of roles, policies, controls and records an organization uses to govern how its AI systems are built, bought, deployed and monitored. In this framework governance is enforced at runtime: every AI agent action is validated before it executes, monitored while it runs and recorded afterwards, with requirements mapped to ISO/IEC 42001 and the EU AI Act.
The Problem
Documentation-based compliance is insufficient. AI agents make real-time decisions; governance must be enforced in real time — before every action executes.
Dual Compliance: ISO 42001 + EU AI Act
| ISO 42001 | Documented objectives, risk management, continual improvement |
| EU AI Act | Risk classification, transparency, human oversight, technical documentation |
| GDPR / UK GDPR | Legal basis for personal data processed by AI |
| DORA / NIS2 | Sector-specific requirements for financial and critical infrastructure |
Runtime Governance Cycle
- Pre: Policy Enforcement Gateway validates or blocks every action.
- During: Real-time monitoring and anomaly detection.
- Post: Immutable, cryptographically signed audit record is created.
4 Core Components
| G1 — Policy Registry | Version-controlled repository of all policy objects |
| G2 — Policy Gateway | Runtime engine with sub-millisecond decision latency |
| G3 — Escalation Manager | Human escalation workflows; resolution time tracking |
| G4 — Compliance Reporter | One-click evidence package: ISO 42001, EU AI Act, internal audit |
Frequently asked questions
What is runtime AI governance?
Governance that is enforced while AI systems operate rather than only documented beforehand. It runs as a three-step cycle: before an action, a policy enforcement gateway validates or blocks it; during execution, activity is monitored in real time for anomalies; afterwards, an immutable, cryptographically signed audit record is created.
Why is documentation-based AI compliance not enough?
Because AI agents make decisions in real time. A policy document describes what should happen, but it cannot stop an agent action that breaks the rules. Governance has to be applied before every action executes, and the evidence has to be produced by the system itself.
How does the framework map to ISO 42001 and the EU AI Act?
ISO/IEC 42001 contributes documented objectives, risk management and continual improvement. The EU AI Act contributes risk classification, transparency, human oversight and technical documentation. The framework also covers GDPR and UK GDPR for personal data processed by AI, and DORA and NIS2 for financial and critical infrastructure organizations.
What are the core components of the AI governance framework?
Four components: a Policy Registry (version-controlled repository of policy objects), a Policy Gateway (runtime engine that decides on every action), an Escalation Manager (human escalation workflows with resolution-time tracking) and a Compliance Reporter (evidence packages for ISO 42001, the EU AI Act and internal audit).
One-page technical reference, including the governance cycle diagram and component architecture.
Download PDF