# 6.3.1 General

Establishing the scope, context and criteria customizes the process so that assessment is effective and treatment appropriate (ISO 31000:2018, 6.3.1); for AI this means being explicit about which AI systems, uses and life cycle stages the process covers and about the AI-related objectives (Annex A) against which risk is judged. The step before 6.3.1 supplies its input, so run both together.

- Framework: ISO/IEC 23894:2023
- Cited to: ISO/IEC 23894:2023, clause 6.3.1
- Source: https://www.iso.org/standard/77304.html
- Last updated: 2026-10-20

## What it asks

Establishing the scope, context and criteria customizes the process so that assessment is effective and treatment appropriate (ISO 31000:2018, 6.3.1); for AI this means being explicit about which AI systems, uses and life cycle stages the process covers and about the AI-related objectives (Annex A) against which risk is judged.

## Where generative AI changes the answer

Scoping a generative AI system means drawing the line around the model, the retrieval corpus, the tools it can call and the people who review the output.

## Who it binds

The AI risk owner, the assessment team and the business owner of each generative AI use.

## Evidence an auditor samples

- Scope, context and criteria statement for each AI risk assessment

## The test you can run

Ask for one completed assessment for a live use, with its criteria, its analysis and its treatment decision.

## Common failures

- Assessment started with no stated scope or criteria

## Before the draft publishes

Run the step once, by hand, on one live generative AI use, and keep the working paper. A method that has never been run on a real use is a template.

## What this page does not say

It does not state the text of ISO/IEC DTS 25568, because ISO has not published the draft's clause text. It does not certify anything.

Not legal advice; does not certify.