Skip to main content

AAT-04: AI & Autonomous Technologies Context Definition

AAT 8 — High Identify

Mechanisms exist to establish and document the context surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT), including: (1) Intended purposes; (2) Potentially beneficial uses; (3) Context-specific laws and regulations; (4) Norms and expectations; and (5) Prospective settings in which the system(s) will be deployed.

Renumbered: Formerly AAT-03 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, AAT-04 was AI & Autonomous Technologies Business Case. That control is now AAT-14.

Control Question: Does the organization establish and document the context surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT), including: (1) Intended purposes; (2) Potentially beneficial uses; (3) Context-specific laws and regulations; (4) Norms and expectations; and (5) Prospective settings in which the system(s) will be deployed?

General (4)
Framework Mapping Values
ISO 42001 2023 4.1 A.10.4
NIST AI 100-1 (AI RMF) 1.0 MAP 1.0 MAP 1.1 MAP 1.4 MAP 3.0
NIST AI 600-1 MAP 1.1 MP-1.1-001 MP-1.1-002
Shared Assessments SIG 2025 R.1
EMEA (1)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA EU AI Act Article 8.1
APAC (1)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Australia ISM June 2026 ISM-2084

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

Practices are non-existent, based on the inability to demonstrate an implemented and operational capability. A reasonable person would conclude the control is not being performed.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technology (AAT) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with AAT domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ AAT-related processes are expected to follow the organization's existing processes (e.g., incident response, asset management, change control and risk assessments). ▪ No formal Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team exists to provide AAT oversight, where the Chief Information Officer (CIO), or similar function, governs technology decisions what is acceptable for AAT within the organization.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technology (AAT) capabilities are requirements-driven, but are not standardized across the entity (e.g., local/regional level consistency). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with AAT domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with AAT domain capabilities are documented and maintained by process owners. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with AAT domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Asset management may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ AAT is regarded as a technology and governed by the entity's existing IT governance practices. ▪ No formal Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team exists to provide oversight of AAT-related activities. GRC functions are assigned to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technology (AAT) capabilities are standardized across the entity for applicability to People, Processes, Technologies, Data and/or Facilities (PPTDF) to ensure consistency for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with AAT domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with AAT domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ An Artificial Intelligence Governance (AIG) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain AAT domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of AI governance, risk management and compliance operations (e.g., dedicated AI governance platform). ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, works with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with AAT domain capabilities to address Minimum Compliance Requirements (MCR) (e.g., applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements) and Discretionary Security Requirements (DSR) (e.g., entity-required controls). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to establish and document the context surrounding AAT, including: (1) Intended purposes; (2) Potentially beneficial uses; (3) Context-specific laws and regulations; (4) Norms and expectations; and (5) Prospective settings in which the system(s) will be deployed.

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ While it may be possible to develop “metrics-driven” capabilities for this control, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Level 5 — Continuously Improving

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 or Level 4 (if available) criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ Level 5 capabilities should be considered “world-class” where the control builds on Level 4 capabilities, but are continuously improving through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) technologies. ▪ While it may be possible to develop responsive capabilities for this control through the use of AI and/or ML technologies, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Assessment Objectives

  1. AAT-04_A01 the context for the intended purpose(s) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT) is documented.
  2. AAT-04_A02 the context for the potentially beneficial use(s) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT) is documented.
  3. AAT-04_A03 the context for legal and regulatory compliance for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT) is documented.
  4. AAT-04_A04 the context for the norms and expectations for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT) is documented.
  5. AAT-04_A05 the context for the proposed deployment setting(s) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Technologies (AAT) is documented.

Evidence Requirements

E-AAT-04 Business Case for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technologies (AAT)

Documented evidence of a business case for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Technologies (AAT).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Autonomous Technologies Governance

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • AI use case documentation (purpose, data used, decisions made)
  • AI governance program

Small

  • AI context documentation for each deployed system
  • AI governance program
  • NIST AI RMF Map function

Medium

  • Formal AI context definition process (intended use, users, environment)
  • NIST AI RMF Map function - context characterization
  • AI governance program

Large

  • Formal AI context definition integrated with AI governance program
  • NIST AI RMF Map function - full context characterization
  • AI use case registry with context documentation

Enterprise

  • Enterprise AI context definition framework
  • NIST AI RMF Map function at enterprise scale
  • AI context documentation integrated with AI system registry
  • Regulatory context considerations (EU AI Act risk classification)

The Secure Controls Framework (SCF) is maintained by SCF Council. Use of SCF content is subject to the SCF Terms & Conditions.

Manage this control in SCF Connect

Track implementation status, collect evidence, and map controls to your compliance frameworks automatically.