Brussels, February 11, 2026 – As governments race to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) and concerns grow over security, transparency and cross-border trust, global industry leaders are warning that the absence of credible, internationally recognised assurance frameworks could slow AI adoption and fracture digital markets.
Against this backdrop, TIC Council will convene a high-level roundtable on “Safe and Trusted AI” at India AI Impact Summit 2026, bringing together regulators, industry leaders, Accreditation Bodies, Standard Development Organisations and the conformity assessment community to examine how Quality Infrastructure can underpin secure, trusted and scalable AI deployment.
Trust in AI cannot rely on policy alone; it also requires modern, internationally recognised Quality Infrastructure that evolves in step with technological change.
“AI governance cannot stop at principles or policy statements,” said Hanane Taidi, Director General of TIC Council. “Without independent, internationally recognised assurance mechanisms, trust in AI will remain fragmented — creating security risks, market barriers and uncertainty for businesses operating across borders.”
The roundtable, titled “Embedding Trust in Innovation: AI Governance and Quality Infrastructure for Growth,” will focus on how standards, accreditation, testing, inspection and certification can evolve to address emerging risks linked to AI systems — including data integrity, algorithmic transparency and cybersecurity — while supporting innovation, digital trade and the participation of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and strengthening cross-border recognition.
Participants will explore how independent, third-party assurance can complement regulatory frameworks and move AI governance beyond high-level objectives toward operational trust mechanisms that function across jurisdictions.
The session will also preview an upcoming TIC Council strategy paper, Quality Infrastructure for the Digitalised World, which sets out how assurance systems can responsibly integrate AI and other emerging technologies while preserving the core principles of independence, impartiality and human oversight.
The discussion will also draw on the ongoing work of the AI Quality Infrastructure (AIQI) Consortium, launched by UKAS and TIC Council, which is advancing dialogue on how AI governance objectives can be supported by credible, scalable assurance approaches that work across borders.
Key issues to be discussed include:
TIC Council will issue a follow-up release after the Summit, summarising key outcomes and formally launching the strategy paper.
About TIC Council
TIC Council is the global trade association representing the independent third-party Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) industry which brings together about 100-member companies and organizations from around the world to speak with one voice. Its members provide services across a wide range of sectors: consumer products, medical devices, petroleum, mining and metals, food, and agriculture among others. Through provision of these services, TIC Council members assure that not only regulatory requirements are met, but also that reliability, economic value, and sustainability are enhanced. TIC Council’s members are present in more than 160 countries and the wider TIC sector currently employs more than 1 million people across the globe.
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