Concept dictionary
Third-Party Audit
A third-party audit is a structured review of an AI system, organization, or control environment conducted by an outside party against defined criteria and evidence.
- Review state
- Reviewed in POC
- Freshness
- Current
- Version
- 2
Also called
- Third-Party Audit
- Independent AI Audit
Remember it this wayOutside review helps only when its independence and scope are real.
In plain language
An external auditor examines claims, records, tests, and controls rather than relying only on the developer's own assessment. Scope and independence must be stated.
Why it matters
Outside review can reduce conflicts of interest and improve confidence, but only within the audit's scope, methods, evidence access, competence, and timing.
Example
An independent firm evaluates an AI hiring system's governance, testing, access controls, and fairness evidence against an agreed audit program.
Common misconception
Third-party does not automatically mean independent, comprehensive, or trustworthy. Funding, scope limits, access, and standards matter.
Related terms
Sources
- U.S. Government Accountability Office, Artificial Intelligence: An Accountability Framework for Federal Agencies and Other Entitiesindependent-assessment framework organized around governance, data, performance, and monitoring.
Learn more
- Apply the separation test in [[independent-verification|Independent Verification]].