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On June 30th, 2025, 14 leading Ukrainian IT companies signed a Memorandum to establish the first self-regulatory organisation (SRO) in Ukraine in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Secretariat of the SRO is represented by the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law and the IT Ukraine Association.
In Ukraine, the self-regulation phase for AI is ongoing: companies are independently developing and implementing ethical standards in their products. As a state, we support these efforts through recommendations, and in the future, we plan to scale the best practices developed by businesses across the broader market. Self-regulation allows companies to be among the first to adopt high standards for AI products, thus enhancing trust among investors, partners, and clients.
— said Oleksandr Bornyakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for European Integration.
The signatories of the Memorandum are committed to adhering to the principles of the Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Ethical and Responsible Use of AI (the Code), developed under the initiative of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM), and the Expert and Advisory Committee on the Development of Artificial Intelligence.
This initiative is an example of how the Ukrainian IT community is ready to take responsibility for the development of AI. We at the IT Ukraine Association are excited to join this process as part of the Secretariat and support the establishment of ethical and clear rules in this dynamic field. We believe that self-regulation will serve as a solid foundation for trust, development, and international partnerships in the AI sector,
— commented Maria Shevchuk, Executive Director of IT Ukraine Association.
The SRO includes companies such as Grammarly, MacPaw, LetsData, DroneUA, WINSTARS.AI, Gametree.me, YouScan.io, EVE.calls, Valtech, LUN, Yieldy, SoftServe, Uklon, Preply.
Before signing the Memorandum, the companies collectively developed a report template that allows for evaluating the integration of the Code’s principles into real practice. According to the Memorandum, each company must publicly report at least once a year on the implementation of ethical standards in the development and application of AI. The text of the Memorandum can be accessed via the link.
Why is self-regulation necessary in the field of AI?
The rapid development of AI technologies significantly impacts society, labor markets, media, security, and human rights. Government regulation often struggles to keep up with the pace of innovation. This is why self-regulation is a necessary response — a flexible tool that enables the tech industry to implement standards of ethics, transparency, and safety today.
The goals of the self-regulatory organisation include:
The creation of the SRO is not just a response to national challenges but also positions Ukraine as a responsible player in the global AI context. Countries such as the G7, the EU, the UK, Canada, Japan, and global companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are already developing or implementing ethical codes, standards, independent audits, and self-reporting policies. In this context, the initiative of Ukrainian companies to create the first self-regulatory organisation in Ukraine for the ethical and responsible use of AI is a timely and strategic decision. It demonstrates that Ukraine is not just adopting new technologies but is also shaping a culture of responsible innovation use.
The initiation of the self-regulation process and the creation of a self-regulatory organisation is a bold step for Ukrainian business towards the development of truly ethical use of artificial intelligence. Ukraine once again proves itself to be a pioneer in this field. The Centre for Democracy and the Rule of Law (CEDEM) is proud to be, together with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the AI Committee, the initiators of this process. Currently, CEDEM is fulfilling the functions of its secretariat. The creation of a self-regulatory organisation and the start of the self-regulation process once again proves that it is Ukrainian companies that are capable of setting the tone for the responsible development of technologies worldwide,
— said AI lawyer at CEDEM, Olga Petriv.
How to join the self-regulatory organisation in the field of AI?
Only those companies that meet the criteria defined in the Memorandum may join the SRO.
For all inquiries regarding membership, obtaining the Memorandum, the Code, or the report template, please contact the following email: ai.sro@cedem.org.ua.
