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Chandigarh: As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates worldwide, a new joint policy paper by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and global professional services firm EY aims to equip businesses and policymakers with practical guidance for building trust in AI systems.
The paper, titled AI Assessments: Enhancing Confidence in AI, underscores the critical role that effective AI evaluations can play in ensuring systems are well-governed, compliant, and aligned with intended performance standards. It highlights that with robust AI assessments in place, businesses can better harness AI’s potential to drive innovation, productivity, and long-term growth.
The Importance of AI Assessments
The report defines AI assessments as a broad spectrum of evaluations — ranging from governance and compliance checks to technical performance tests and traditional assurance audits. These assessments help verify whether AI systems are being deployed responsibly, ethically, and in a manner that fosters trust among stakeholders.
The authors emphasise that such assessments, whether voluntary or legally mandated, are becoming increasingly relevant for businesses, investors, insurers, and regulators. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in operations across sectors, trust in the technology will become a defining factor for its success.
“AI systems are powerful, but without transparency and accountability, they risk eroding public trust,” the paper states. “Effective assessments can mitigate these risks, enabling responsible adoption and enhancing confidence among customers, employees, and society.”
Three Key Types of AI Assessments Identified
The ACCA–EY paper categorises AI assessments into three main types:
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Governance Assessments – Evaluating the organisational structures, policies, and decision-making frameworks that guide AI development and deployment.
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Conformity Assessments – Determining whether AI systems comply with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
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Performance Assessments – Measuring AI outputs against predefined quality and performance benchmarks to ensure systems operate as intended.
These categories are intended to help businesses systematically review AI systems, identify weaknesses, and ensure that AI delivers its promised benefits without unintended harm.
Global Policy Context
The guidance comes at a time when AI policy frameworks are evolving rapidly across the globe. The paper notes the Trump administration’s recently published AI Action Plan, which emphasises the value of “rigorous evaluations” for measuring AI reliability and performance, especially in regulated sectors such as healthcare, finance, and transportation.
By providing structured methodologies for AI assessments, the paper aims to contribute to the creation of consistent, internationally compatible standards.
Addressing Current Challenges
The report does not shy away from acknowledging challenges in today’s AI assessment practices. Among the issues identified are:
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Lack of clearly defined objectives and methodologies
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Inconsistent assessment criteria
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Shortage of qualified, independent, and accountable assessors
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The potential burden of compliance for smaller businesses
To address these issues, the paper recommends establishing transparent, standardised, and minimally burdensome assessment frameworks that are interoperable across jurisdictions.
Recommendations for Business Leaders and Policymakers
For business leaders, the paper advises:
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Treat AI assessments — including voluntary ones — as a core part of corporate governance and risk management.
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Use them to build confidence in AI systems among customers, employees, and stakeholders.
For policymakers, the paper suggests:
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Clearly define the purpose, methodology, and criteria of AI assessments.
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Support alignment with global standards to minimise unnecessary complexity.
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Invest in market capacity-building to ensure availability of skilled AI assessors.
Expert Perspectives
Helen Brand, Chief Executive of ACCA, stressed the public interest dimension of AI trust.
“As AI scales across the economy, the ability to trust what it says is not just important — it is vital. We need to bridge skills gaps and strengthen the AI ecosystem to drive sustainable business.”
Marie-Laure Delarue, EY Global Vice-Chair for Assurance, highlighted the urgency of safe adoption.
“AI is advancing faster than we could have imagined, bringing both opportunities and risks. Rigorous assessments are essential to unlock AI’s potential as a driver of growth and prosperity.”
Delarue added that businesses are increasingly seeking trust services that align with EY’s expertise in compliance, readiness evaluation, and assurance.
Towards a Trusted AI Future
The ACCA–EY collaboration reflects a growing recognition that AI’s future depends on its ability to earn and maintain trust. As AI systems become integral to decision-making in finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government, the need for robust assessment frameworks will only intensify.
The policy paper concludes that by adopting structured governance, clear compliance pathways, and consistent performance metrics, AI can be deployed in ways that are safe, reliable, and effective — ultimately fostering economic growth and societal benefit.
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