What it is
ISO/IEC 22989:2022 was published in July 2022 by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42. It “establishes terminology for AI and describes concepts in the field of AI”. It is the vocabulary base for the other SC 42 standards, including ISO/IEC 42001 and 23894.
What is changing: the generative AI amendment
- ISO/IEC 22989:2022/FDAmd 1, “Generative AI”, reached stage 50.00 (final draft registered for formal approval) on 18 September 2026. The next step is an eight-week final ballot, so publication is likely in late 2026 or early 2027.
- BSI lists a British adoption of Amendment 1 as current from 25 August 2025, which looks earlier than ISO’s own stage; check before citing.
Is it free?
A November 2025 JTC 1 note says zero-cost documents moved to the ISO and IEC web stores. ISO’s page for 22989 shows “CHF 0” next to its format options, but we could not confirm free availability directly. Even if free, the ISO licence still applies: ISO’s terms define publications broadly and do not exempt zero-cost documents.
Licence terms
ISO’s licence prohibits machine learning and AI use of ISO publications without a separate licence and opts out of the EU text and data mining exception. That supports our rating: do not put the text directly into a database for AI.
Working with ISO/IEC 22989 and AI
- Write your own glossary, citing ISO/IEC 22989 term numbers rather than copying definitions.
- Align definitions with openly reusable sources where possible, such as the EU AI Act or OECD definitions.
- Do not index the standard without an AI-permitted licence.
- Track the generative AI amendment and update your glossary when it publishes.
- Confirm price and licence on ISO’s store before relying on free access.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a free download means free AI use.
- Copying definitions verbatim into a prompt library.
- Using pre-amendment terms for generative AI once the amendment publishes.
- Mixing national adoption dates with ISO dates.
Checklist
- Own glossary with term references
- Open-source definitions used where possible
- Standard text excluded from indexes
- Amendment tracked
- Store price and licence confirmed
How AskDona helps
AskDona checks that your policies use terms consistently with your internal glossary and flags conflicting definitions across documents, with citations.
Run a sample terminology consistency check
AskDona shows the evidence; your governance team decides.
Editor’s note. This article is general information, not legal advice. Free availability was not confirmed. The “separate permission required” rating is our first-pass judgment.
FAQ
What does ISO/IEC 22989 cover? AI terminology and concepts.
Is a generative AI update coming? Yes. Amendment 1 on generative AI reached the final draft stage in September 2026.
Is ISO/IEC 22989 free? Possibly via the ISO store, but we could not confirm it, and the ISO licence still applies.
Can I put its definitions into an AI tool? Not without permission; cite term numbers instead.
References
All pages opened and checked by October 26, 2026.
| Source | What it supports |
|---|---|
| ISO: ISO/IEC 22989:2022 | Date, abstract |
| ISO: ISO/IEC 22989 Amendment 1 | Generative AI amendment stage |
| BSI: BS EN ISO/IEC 22989 Amd 1 | National adoption date |
| J3 list: JTC 1 note on free documents (Nov 2025) | Free documents moved to web stores |
| ISO: Licence agreement | AI and TDM restrictions |