Using AI to Strengthen ISO 27001 Compliance

Preparing for our ISO 27001:2022 recertification, and a transition from the 2013 standard, was no small task. As a custom software company handling sensitive client data, we hold ourselves to high standards around security and compliance. But this year, we approached the challenge differently.

We built and deployed a custom AI Copilot agent to help us get there faster, smarter, and with greater confidence.

Why we built our own AI Copilot agent

While Microsoft Copilot tools are rapidly advancing, our needs were quite specific:

• Understand our unique ISMS structure

• Perform a detailed gap analysis against the updated 2022 standard

• Automate repetitive registers and logs (e.g. change requests, risk assessments)

• Reduce manual effort while improving consistency

We created our own agent using Azure OpenAI, trained on our documentation formats, terminology and control structure. It was lightweight, secure, and fast to implement. And it worked brilliantly.

What it helped us do

Using the AI agent, we were able to:

• Rapidly compare ISO 27001:2022 clauses with our existing controls

• Identify areas requiring new evidence or adjustments

• Generate initial register entries (such as risks from change requests), saving manual data entry

• Focus human effort where it mattered, interpreting outputs, improving policies, and sense-checking gaps

We estimate that it saved us over 65 hours of manual work across the team, a significant chunk of the 240 hours or so we dedicated in total.

The result?

We passed our 3-year reaccreditation without a single minor non-conformance. That’s a first for us, and a meaningful signal that the mix of AI and human oversight paid off.

What we learned

AI can’t replace governance, context or judgement, especially in a standard as nuanced as ISO 27001. But when trained appropriately, it can dramatically accelerate the process and free up time to focus on higher-value work.

By building an agent tailored to our workflows, we got the best of both worlds: the efficiency of automation, with the rigour of human review.

What’s next?

We’re now exploring how similar agents can support our clients, whether in regulated sectors or internal compliance. From document reviews to policy mapping, the potential is growing fast.

At Talk Think Do, we’re committed to exploring AI responsibly, not just as a trend, but as a tool for better outcomes.