SECAI Core · phase 9 of 15
Accounting
Tracking authorized usage of a resource or use of rights by a subject and alerting when unauthorized use is detected or attempted.
The Explain card
- Plain English
- Accounting is tracking the authorised usage of a resource or the exercise of rights by a subject, and raising an alert when unauthorised use is detected or attempted.
- Example
- An AI platform records every model call with the user, timestamp, tokens consumed and data sources accessed. When an account starts querying the HR retrieval index at 3 a.m. despite having no HR role, the accounting system flags it.
- Why it matters
- Authentication proves who you are, authorisation decides what you may do, and accounting proves what you actually did. Without it, AI misuse leaves no trail to investigate.
- Hook
- The third A in AAA: the one that keeps the receipts.
Where it sits in the deck
Phase 9: Roles, Teams, and Organisational Accountability
Governance frameworks are executed by people — introduce the human roles and organisational structures responsible for building, operating, and auditing AI systems.
