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The TRUST-AI Open™ standard is the world’s first Creative Commons-based framework for Responsible AI that assesses both organisational behaviours and system design. It’s open, actionable, and ready to implement.

Designed for real-world AI teams, TRUST-AI Open™ includes five core domains: Alignment, Data, Implementation, Impact, and Adaptation. It bridges the gap between ethical intent and operational practice, helping teams move from principles to measurable progress.

The TRUST-AI Open™ Standard will be released publicly on July 1, 2025. You can sign up to receive it via e-mail when it becomes available.

What makes TRUST-AI Open™ different?

  • Dual-layered: Addresses both organisational culture and AI system design

  • Behavioural focus: Goes beyond compliance to assess ethical maturity

  • Open license: Free to use, adapt, and apply for non-commercial use

  • Built for teams: Includes readiness prompts, narrative scoring and facilitation cues

  • Verification-ready: Forms the foundation for our tiered certification model

The Five Key Elements of TRUST-AI Open™

1. Purpose Alignment

Why are we building this—and for whom?

  • Clear articulation of intent and value

  • Alignment with human needs, rights, and context

  • Avoidance of unintended or unethical outcomes

“Without purpose, AI becomes an accelerant of whatever system it's in, good or bad.”

3. Transparency & Accountability

Can we see it, question it, and improve it?

  • Explainability of models and decisions

  • Traceability of data and system logic

  • Human accountability for automated outcomes

“Black box = red flag. If no one is answerable, no one is responsible.”

2. Fairness & Inclusion

Who benefits—and who bears the cost?

  • Bias mitigation in data, design, and deployment

  • Inclusive access across groupd and geographies

  • Avoidance of harm to vulnerable populations

“If it only works for some, it doesn’t work responsibly”

4. Safety & Security

Does it protect people from harm?

  • Robustness to misuse, manipulation, or failure

  • Data integrity and cyber resilience

  • Protocols for escalation, override, and redress

“Trust dies the moment something unsafe slips through because the model said so.”

5. Human Agency & Oversight

Do humans stay in the loop—and in charge?

  • Oversight that empowers people, not bypasses them

  • Feedback loops, contestability, and continuous improvement

  • Cultural readiness and capability to work with AI, not under it

“Responsible AI isn’t about rules—it’s about relationships.”

TRUST-AI Open™ Comparison

Pillar / Focus Area NIST AI RMF OECD Principles UNESCO Recommendation TRUST-AI Open™
Implementation Readiness Abstract controls and mapping tools Policy-focused principles Governmental guidance and values Includes elements from all other standards, plus ready-to-use tools, prompts, and certification pathways
Purpose Alignment Context mapping, governance roles Well-being, inclusive growth Accountability, awareness Includes elements from all other standards, plus operationalises purpose in daily work; prevents drift
Fairness & Inclusion Bias checks, fairness indicators Non-discrimination, inclusivity Collaboration, equity Includes elements from all other standards, plus participatory design and population-specific bias auditing
Transparency & Accountability Explainability, traceability Transparency, accountability Public understanding, redress Includes elements from all other standards, plus explainability for users, logging, safe internal challenge
Safety & Redress Risk scanning, recovery planning Security, override options Oversight, resilience Includes elements from all other standards, plus redress tools, human override, lifecycle design
Human Agency & Oversight Governance maturity models Human empowerment, cooperation Participation, governance feedback Includes elements from all other standards, plus behavioural scoring and evolving governance built in

Sign Up For The Standard

The TRUST-AI Open™ Responsible AI Standard will become available for free download as of July 1, 2025. If you prefer, you can sign-up for updates and we’ll e-mail you the Standard as soon as it becomes available.