What you need to qualify
Your current policies and practices may already qualify.
The fifteen requirements
What we look for
Fifteen plain requirements, in three groups. Each one is a Yes, a No, or Not applicable. There is one badge - no scores and no levels.
01
Simple rules and confidential information
Employees know how they may use AI, which tools are allowed, and what must never be typed into one.
R1
The organization has simple written rules for AI use that employees who use AI can access.
R2
Employees are told that confidential, privileged or sensitive business information must not be entered into public or unapproved AI tools.
R3
Passwords, security credentials and similarly sensitive access information are never entered into public or unapproved AI tools.
R4
Employees know which AI tools they are permitted to use for work.
R15
Employees who use AI know the basic disclosure, confidentiality and human-review rules and know who to ask if they are unsure.
02
Openness about AI use
Clients and people know when AI meaningfully contributed, and public statements are accurate.
R5
The organization is open with clients or customers about meaningful AI use in its work.
R6
When AI substantially contributes to client-facing work, the organization discloses that use where a reasonable client would expect to know.
R7
People are told when they are directly interacting with an AI system, chatbot or agent rather than a person.
R8
If AI plays a meaningful role in a consequential decision about a person, that person is told that AI was involved.
R9
Public statements about the organization's use of AI are accurate and not misleading.
03
Human responsibility
A person reviews material AI-assisted work, approves important decisions, and stays responsible for the outcome.
R10
Material AI-assisted work is reviewed by a person before it is sent, published or relied upon externally.
R11
Important recommendations, advice or decisions informed by AI receive appropriate human approval before action is taken.
R12
AI does not make final consequential decisions about people on its own.
R13
The person reviewing AI-assisted work has the authority to change, reject or disregard the AI output.
R14
A person, not the AI system, remains responsible for the final work or decision.
Free templates
If something is missing
Three free templates can help you close common gaps quickly: a one-page AI Use Policy, an AI Transparency Statement for your website, and short AI Disclosure Language you can copy where it is needed.
Quick answers
Questions before you apply
01
Do I need an AI department or a register?
No. EAUS does not require an AI department, an AI register, formal training records or a lengthy audit.
02
Do I need to create documents just for this?
No. Documents are optional unless you need them to demonstrate a practice you already follow.
03
How long does the application take?
About 10 minutes.
04
What if a requirement does not apply to us?
Requirements that genuinely do not apply to your work can be marked Not applicable.
05
What if something is missing?
We will tell you which requirement has not yet been met and what is missing. Where relevant, our free templates can help you put the required practice in place.
06
When am I charged?
The assessment is free. You only pay if you certify.
See where you stand before you apply.
The application takes about 10 minutes. No account required.
Ethicality is a private certification program. An Ethicality Badge reflects an independent assessment of the AI-use practices an organization disclosed to us, against the published EAUS standard, as at the assessment date. It does not certify compliance with any law.