ABC And AAM Partner On Global Ethical AI Certification For Media

The Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) in the US and the UK's ABC have formed an international partnership to strengthen confidence in how artificial intelligence is used across media and advertising via an Ethical AI Certification initiative.

As expectations from audiences, advertisers and regulators intensify, media organisations are under pressure to clarify AI use, disclose practices, safeguard data and ensure accountability. The collaboration aims to meet those demands by setting clearer guidance, boosting transparency and providing independent assurance of responsible AI practices.

The partners will implement a consistent global framework grounded in AAM's Eight Pillars of Ethical AI, while tailoring guidance and assessments to reflect regional regulations and market needs. This approach aligns certification to shared principles without losing local relevance.

"When AAM developed the Eight Pillars of Ethical AI, we worked with our members to give organisations a practical way to adopt AI responsibly while maintaining the trust of advertisers and audiences," said Rich Murphy, AAM CEO, President and Managing Director. "Partnering with ABC is an exciting step towards creating a global framework."

"We're delighted to partner with AAM, combining our expertise in independent media auditing to deliver a consistent international approach to Ethical AI Certification while reflecting the needs of different markets," said Simon Redlich, Chief Executive at ABC. "As AI uptake grows, so does the need for independent assurance. Through this partnership, we can highlight organisations with responsible AI practices and give their partners greater confidence in how AI is governed and used."

Certification will be available to publishers, advertising technology providers and agencies, offering independent verification that their AI policies and operational processes align with recognised industry guidelines and best practice. Certified companies will be able to display a seal to signal trust to customers and partners.

For advertisers and media buyers, the programme provides clearer insight into how partners govern AI, supporting more informed selection of suppliers and technologies.

Industry support for third-party AI certification is building. The Q1 2026 ANA Programmatic Transparency Benchmark found that "AI slop" — low-quality content created solely for monetisation — may account for as much as 2.4% of programmatic spend on the open web. The report also endorsed certification's role in improving standards, stating: "Emerging certification frameworks such as the AAM Ethical AI Certification provide a credible mechanism for distinguishing responsible AI use from low-value content at scale."

The Eight Pillars underpinning the framework are: policies and governance; transparency and disclosure; rights and permissions; accountability and human oversight; bias and fairness; privacy and data protection; training and education; and risk management and adaptation.

Find out more about ABC's Ethical AI Certification: www.abc.org.uk/assurance/ethical-ai-certification