The DRCF AI Audit Skill Share group is an internal, cross-regulatory forum for building capabilities to conduct audits of AI systems used by regulated firms. Regulators have jointly established this group to share expertise and best practice when conducting audits against specific regulatory requirements, to identify common challenges and share lessons learned.
The skill share group will further extend DRCF's reach by inviting external experts and organisations to share insights, ensuring our focus is not only inward, but open to understanding the latest developments in AI auditing and assurance techniques.
Because AI and its audit and assurance techniques are evolving rapidly, pooling experience across regulators via the AI Audit skill share group is already helping to accelerate learning around consistent and proportionate approaches.
Previous sessions:
The most recent AI Audit Skill Share (in March) focused on how regulators can use their formal information‑gathering powers to assess and audit AI systems deployed by regulated firms. The session explored the range of regulatory tools available to obtain meaningful insight into firms’ AI use, including approaches to conducting more technically complex audits. Participants also discussed different methods of acquiring information to elicit higher‑quality and more useful responses from regulated firms.
The previous session (which took place in November 2025) focussed on understanding the different statutory powers each regulator has to investigate and hold firms accountable for how they deploy or develop their AI systems, which was a helpful way of establishing the commonalities across regulators, and informing what our 2025/26 session plan should focus on.
Future sessions and next steps:
Future sessions will focus on a broad range of AI assurance and audit themes. Looking ahead through 2026, the AI Audit Skill Share series plans to explore at a high-level practical approach to running live and synthetic tests across sectors (including access to systems and datasets, and proportionality considerations).
The series will horizon scan emerging AI assurance frameworks and standards.
The series will also consider the landscape of certifications and accreditations for both systems and practitioners. We welcome external perspectives and intend to invite them, to help ensure regulators stay in tune with developments in this space and evolving industry views.
If you're a regulator who's not part of the DRCF and would like to get involved in the group, please get in touch with drcf@fca.org.uk.
Wider DRCF AI assurance work:
The DRCF has a longstanding interest in AI assurance. Building on our 2022 report on auditing algorithms, the DRCF expanded its research in 2024 by publishing findings on third-party firms that provide AI assurance services such as testing AI against specific benchmarks. This research enhanced our understanding of the emerging market for AI assurance and provided insights into the nature of services being provided, including why and how their clients are using them. In 2025, we published a blog on ‘AI Assurance: Highlighting opportunities across DRCF regulatory regimes’, underscoring the ongoing work taking place in each regulator.
Kate Jones, CEO, DRCF said:
“AI audit and assurance are invaluable for building a healthy and trustworthy AI industry in the UK and internationally, with regulators’ own audit capabilities forming a core pillar of effective AI governance. The DRCF’s AI Audit Skill Share Group plays a key role in strengthening those capabilities across regulators, providing a forum for sharing best practice and joint learning.”
Devon Troup, Tech Policy Manager, Ofcom said:
“Understanding and auditing AI systems is a complex and rapidly evolving area. Bringing technical experts from all four regulators together has been a brilliant opportunity to strengthen our collective understanding, share cross sector insights and build on any lessons our DRCF colleagues have already learned. This is a great example of the value being delivered through the DRCF.”
