The Association for Responsible and Trustworthy AI: Z-Inspection® officially established in Sweden as a global initiative
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
International Non-Profit Association Launches to Advance Trustworthy and Responsible AI Globally
The Association for Responsible and Trustworthy AI: Z-Inspection® officially established in Sweden as a global initiative
Stockholm, Sweden — March 31, 2026 — The Association for Responsible and Trustworthy AI: Z-Inspection® has been formally established as an ideell förening (non-profit association) under Swedish law, with Organisation number 802555-9496. While headquartered in Sweden, the Association operates as a truly international initiative, drawing on a cross-border network of researchers, educators, practitioners, and institutions across multiple continents.
The Challenge
Artificial Intelligence systems are being deployed at an unprecedented pace across healthcare, public administration, financial services, criminal justice, and critical infrastructure — in every region of the world. Yet the methods available to verify whether these systems are trustworthy, operate transparently, and respect fundamental rights remain fragmented, immature, or inaccessible to the organisations that need them most. Regulatory frameworks such as the EU AI Act are raising the bar — but compliance alone does not guarantee trustworthiness. This is a global challenge that demands a globally coordinated response.
Our Response
The Association’s mission is to promote and advance the development, assessment, research, and education of trustworthy, responsible, and mindful AI — with a firm commitment to the protection of fundamental and human rights worldwide. Its core asset is Z-Inspection® — an extensively validated, holistic, and interdisciplinary process for assessing the trustworthiness of AI systems in real-world settings, already applied internationally across a wide range of domains and contexts.
The Association delivers its mission through three integrated pillars:
- Practice & Community — Developing and maintaining the Z-Inspection® process, cultivating a global network of practitioners and institutions, coordinating the international Z-Inspection® community, and actively collaborating to build and evaluate trustworthy AI across sectors and borders.
- Education & Certification — Designing high-quality curricula and training materials, and building partnerships with universities and professional organisations worldwide to expand access to trustworthy AI education.
- Research & Science — Facilitating independent international research collaborations, supporting evidence-based approaches to trustworthy AI, and promoting findings through publications, conferences, and open science platforms globally.
A Distinguished International Founding Board
The Association is led by a distinguished group of international experts: Dr. Magnus Westerlund, Prof. Roberto V. Zicari, Dr. Pedro Kringen, John Östlund, and Dr. Walter Osika — spanning trustworthy AI research and methodology, applied AI ethics in medicine and healthcare, clinical neuroscience and sustainability, and large-scale AI assessment in real-world settings — bringing together decades of combined experience at the intersection of technology, ethics, law, and human rights across multiple countries and institutions.
Why Sweden?
Sweden’s stable and transparent legal framework, strong tradition of civil society engagement, and track record in AI innovation and fundamental rights make it a natural home for a globally oriented initiative in trustworthy AI. The ideell förening structure provides organisational flexibility and democratic governance well suited to an association with an international membership and mission.
“We are committed to helping ensure that AI systems respect and uphold the fundamental rights and dignity of every individual,” said the Board.
The Association welcomes partnerships with organisations around the world that share its commitment to responsible AI.
For sponsorship and collaboration enquiries, visit z-inspection.org/association or contact the Association at association@z-inspection.org.
The Association for Responsible and Trustworthy AI: Z-Inspection® is a registered non-profit organisation (ideell förening) based at Oxenstiernas Gränd 9, 135 63 Tyresö, Sweden, operating as an international initiative with a global network of members and partners.
Contact: association@z-inspection.org