Government launches new consortium to build trust in AI and grow UK assurance market

The AI Assurance Stakeholder Consortium, convened by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and led by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, will bring together leading voices from across the UK’s AI assurance ecosystem to support the development of a recognised AI assurance profession.

Why AI Assurance matters

AI assurance is the process of measuring, evaluating and communicating whether AI systems are trustworthy, safe, secure and working as intended. As AI becomes increasingly embedded across the economy and public services, independent and high-quality assurance will be critical to giving the public, small and medium sized businesses, and private investors confidence in the technology.

The UK already has strong foundations in AI assurance, with a growing market worth an estimated £1.01 billion gross value added (GVA) in 2024. Government analysis suggests the market could grow to £18.8 billion GVA by 2035 if barriers to AI adoption are addressed.

The Consortium will support this growth by developing practical building blocks for a future AI assurance profession, including:

• A voluntary, professional code of ethics
• A skills and competencies framework
• Work to map information access requirements for AI assurance providers
• Collaboration across sectors to raise the visibility, credibility and quality of AI assurance services

The launch follows the government’s Roadmap to trusted third-party AI assurance, published in September 2025, which sets out how the UK can build a world-leading AI assurance market, boost responsible AI adoption and support economic growth.

Kanishka Narayan MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for AI and Online Safety), said: "If we want Britons from every walk of life to seize the benefits AI offers, they need to be able to trust it. AI assurance is going to be a massive part of our efforts to put AI to work boosting businesses, improving public services, and creating opportunities for people.

"The UK already has all the ingredients needed to build a world-class AI assurance sector. This new Consortium will spearhead those efforts. Together we can make the UK the most trusted place in the world to develop, deploy and assure AI."

Emma McGuigan FBCS, Chair of the AI Assurance Stakeholder Consortium, added: “AI assurance is no longer a niche issue, but is becoming essential infrastructure for an economy that wants to adopt AI confidently, responsibly and at scale. The Consortium will focus on practical steps that help organisations understand what good AI assurance looks like, from professional ethics and skills, to the information needed to assess AI systems properly.

“Our ambition is to support a trusted, credible and globally respected AI assurance profession that helps unlock innovation while protecting people, organisations and society.”

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Sharron Gunn MBCS FCA, CEO of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and Vice Chair of the AI Assurance Stakeholder Consortium, also said: “As a group, our duty is to create an AI Assurance profession which is proud to adhere to a Code of Ethics and, ultimately, to hold world-class registrations and certifications.

“Professional standards matter because they give the public and employers confidence that the people making critical decisions about technology have the right skills, judgement and accountability.

“This Consortium is an important step towards building a community of AI practice across the UK that is trustworthy, inclusive and ready to lead at a global level.”

Susan Taylor Martin, CEO of British Standards Institute (BSI), a member of the Consortium added: “As the AI transformation gathers pace, it’s critical that there is a way to differentiate credible AI governance from unchecked claims, supporting responsible innovation and paving the way for AI to be a force for good. BSI is delighted to be joining this consortium to build the AI assurance skills and competencies framework in a robust, coherent and consistent manner. It is through the use of international standards, assurance and the infrastructure around them that we can build much-needed confidence in a safe, secure AI ecosystem.”

Matt Gantley, CEO of the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS), also a member of the consortium, said: “As the UK’s national accreditation body, UKAS is delighted to join the AI Assurance Stakeholder Consortium. This marks an important step in delivering the UK’s ambition to be a global leader in safe, trusted and innovative AI, as set out in the government’s AI opportunities action plan.

“UKAS looks forward to working alongside our national quality infrastructure partners, government, industry and the wider assurance community to help shape approaches to standards, competencies and international interoperability. Together, we can position the UK at the forefront of a world-leading AI assurance ecosystem – driving growth, unlocking opportunity and maintaining public confidence in this transformative technology.”

Dame Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton and member of the Consortium said: “Trust is the foundation on which successful AI adoption will be built. The UK has world-leading expertise in computer science, standards, accreditation and professional ethics, but we need to bring that expertise together in a way that gives people confidence that AI systems are being developed and used responsibly.

“This Consortium is an important step towards making AI assurance a recognised and respected profession. By setting clear expectations for skills, conduct and accountability, we can help organisations innovate with confidence while ensuring that safety, transparency and public trust remain at the heart of AI deployment.”

Lara Groves, Senior Researcher at the Ada Lovelace institute said: "The AI Assurance Stakeholder Consortium will provide much-needed professional support for practitioners in the UK's burgeoning AI assurance industry. The Ada Lovelace Institute's own research identified that a professionalised AI assurance sector will help developers and deployers demonstrate trustworthiness and reliability, and support assurance in delivering responsible AI outcomes in the public interest. We look forward to driving the workstream initiatives as a core member of the Consortium."

Adam Leon Smith FBCS, Independent expert member of the Consortium added: “As AI assurance continues to develop, it is vital that we build the skills and capacity needed to support safe, trustworthy and responsible adoption. The UK has a real opportunity to lead this work across Europe, and internationally.

“I look forward to working with respected UK organisations including BCS, BSI and UKAS, and to helping connect them with experts around the world. AI is a global technology, and effective assurance will depend on strong collaboration across borders.”

Vince Desmond, CEO of the Chartered Quality Institute, another founding Consortium member said: “The CQI is pleased to be working with DSIT and BCS as a member of the Consortium's Core Group. We are keen that AI assurance is anchored in established quality management principles and that assurance methods and expert assurance professionals are able to support both value creation and risk mitigation.”

Peter Thompson CBE, CEO of the National Physical Laboratory, which is establishing the UK’s Centre for AI Measurement, said: “AI assurance depends on trusted, scientifically robust ways of measuring whether systems are safe, secure and performing as intended. As the UK’s National Metrology Institute, NPL is pleased to be part of this Consortium and to shape development of an AI assurance profession grounded in rigorous measurement, standards and evidence.

“By embedding measurement science into AI assurance from the outset, we can help ensure that claims about AI safety, robustness, and performance are tested consistently, independently and in ways that stand up to scrutiny. That will be essential if the UK is to move from broad principles around responsible AI to assurance methods that organisations, regulators and the public can rely on in practice.”

Industry engagement 

Sue Daley OBE, Director of Tech and Innovation at techUK, which heads the Consortium’s industry advisory group added: "The UK's AI assurance ecosystem contributes more than £1 billion in GVA and is a market with the potential to grow six-fold over the next decade if market barriers are addressed. techUK is excited to be working closely with the BCS as a delivery partner for The Trusted third-part AI assurance roadmap and lead of the Industry Advisory Group, to ensure that the skills and competencies framework, code of ethics, and data and information access workstreams are grounded in how industry operates today. By working together through the Consortium, we can build an AI assurance profession that is rigorous, inclusive, and fit for the pace at which AI is developing."

Looking ahead

The Consortium will be convened for an initial period of one year and will work closely with government and stakeholders across the AI assurance ecosystem.

Its work will support the government’s wider mission to boost AI adoption, drive economic growth and ensure the UK remains at the forefront of safe, responsible and innovative AI.