Certify™ AI: The New Standard for Transparent AI Contract Terms

AI is transforming business contracts, but innovation is moving faster than regulation. The result? Vendors and buyers are left asking: Can we trust the AI terms in this agreement, and are they compliant with emerging standards?

That’s where AI terms certification comes in. Instead of relying on dense legal markups, companies now have a way to independently validate their AI commitments, giving stakeholders confidence to move forward faster. This is the first independent AI contract certification program designed to bring transparency, accountability, and speed to the contracting process.

What Is Certify™ AI?

Certify™ AI validates your AI-related contractual provisions through an independent review against evolving standards for AI compliance for contracts. Vendors who pass earn the AI compliance badge, a visible contract AI badge that proves their commitments to transparency, data security, and responsible AI practices.

Importantly, Certify™ AI is only available to companies that already hold TermScout’s Core Certify™ badge for balanced, market-ready contracts. By layering on AI contract certification, you can show buyers that your contracts are not only market-ready overall but also meet best practices for responsible AI terms.

Why AI Terms Certification Matters Today

The rise of AI has brought with it new questions around compliance, data usage, and transparency. Without clarity, contracts stall in review, regulatory risk escalates, and trust erodes. AI certification badges solve this by verifying how AI-related terms address critical concerns like:

• Data usage and ownership
• Transparency and explainability
• Security and incident response
• Vendor accountability in evolving regulatory environments

With vendor AI compliance certification, businesses can show they’re serious about protecting customers, complying with emerging laws, and maintaining trust in every deal.

Trusted by Industry Leaders from Day One

Certify™ AI launched with support from HubSpot, Atlassian, DocuSign, Webflow, and Hyland, global leaders in SaaS, collaboration, and enterprise technology. By adopting Certify™ AI at launch, these companies set a new benchmark for transparent and responsible AI contract terms.

Their commitment proves that trust and clarity aren’t optional in AI adoption—they’re the foundation for scaling AI with confidence.

What Certify™ AI Evaluates

Our AI transparency certification analyzes contract terms across seven evolving categories:

• Use Restrictions: Prevent misuse of AI systems that could create liability.
• Transparency & Explainability: Build buyer confidence by showing how AI decisions are made.
• Data Usage & Ownership: Clarify ownership and reduce disputes over training data.
• Security & Incident Response: Prove readiness to handle breaches or misuse.
• Transparent Communication: Reassure customers they’ll be informed of changes or risks.
• Legal Compliance: Demonstrate proactive alignment with evolving AI laws.
• Best Practice Commitment → Signal that your organization isn’t just compliant today but evolving with the industry.

These categories are continuously updated as AI contract compliance standards evolve globally, ensuring vendors stay aligned with best practices and regulatory changes.

Benefits of AI Terms Certification for Business Teams

1. Sales: Accelerate Deals and Win Buyer Confidence

Buyers are cautious about AI. A contract carrying an AI transparency badge signals that AI commitments have been independently reviewed and certified. For sales teams, this means:

• Cut weeks off contract cycles by reducing AI-related objections

• Fewer redlines and objections over AI terms

• Higher win rates from buyers who see transparency as proof of reliability

2. Legal: Reduce Risk Without Adding Workload

Legal teams are under pressure to balance speed with protection. With AI contractual obligations certification, lawyers don’t need to guess whether terms align with evolving standards—certification proves compliance upfront.

• Faster approvals with third-party validation

• Reduced exposure to regulatory gaps or reputational risk

• More bandwidth for strategic advisory instead of clause-level firefighting

3. Procurement: Strengthen Vendor Selection

Vendor AI commitments can vary widely. Certification provides a contract AI badge that simplifies the procurement team’s role in risk evaluation.

• Benchmark vendors against market standards

• Avoid surprises in data handling or AI obligations

• Negotiate from a position of validated knowledge

4. RevOps & Finance: Improve Forecasting and Compliance

Slow contracts create forecasting headaches and missed revenue for RevOps and Finance teams. Certified AI terms mean smoother deal velocity and reduced financial risk. 

• Predictable revenue timelines

• Confidence that terms won’t derail late in the cycle

• Demonstrated compliance for audits and regulatory reviews

5. Marketing: Build Brand Trust with Certified AI Commitments

In an era of skepticism, transparency is a huge differentiator that can be leveraged by marketing teams. Publicly displaying an AI compliance badge signals proactive leadership and positions your brand as responsible and forward-thinking.

Practical Use Cases of AI Terms Certification

AI Terms Certification creates real advantages across industries and functions. These aren’t theoretical benefits; they’re practical outcomes that shift contracts from blockers to drivers of business momentum. Below are four common scenarios where AI terms certification makes a measurable difference.

Faster Customer Acquisition 

Imagine a SaaS vendor pitching to a Fortune 500 buyer. Instead of weeks of back-and-forth on AI data usage clauses, the vendor presents a contract that already carries TermScout’s AI compliance badge. The buyer sees independent validation of AI commitments and signs off faster, cutting cycle time from months to days.

Global Compliance Readiness

As new AI regulations emerge in the EU, U.S., and other jurisdictions, compliance becomes a moving target. Companies with certified AI terms demonstrate they’re prepared for evolving global standards. This reduces friction with international buyers and ensures that expansion into new markets doesn’t stall at the contract stage.

Stronger Customer Retention

Certification isn’t just about closing new bbusiness;it’s about keeping the customers you already have. Displaying the AI transparency badge reassures existing clients that your organization takes long-term responsibility for ethical AI practices. That confidence strengthens relationships and reduces churn in highly competitive markets.

Scalable Trust Signals

For high-growth companies, every new deal requires proving reliability at scale. Instead of explaining AI contractual obligations one prospect at a time, the certification badge acts as a universal trust signal. Procurement teams, legal reviewers, and executives all recognize the AI transparency certification, streamlining approvals across hundreds of deals.

Handling Common Buyer Objections with AI Certification

Even when buyers are excited about AI solutions, they often pause over the fine print. Typical objections sound like

• “How do I know your AI terms are compliant with new regulations?”

• “What guarantees do I have that my data won’t be misused?”

• “We’ve had deals stall before because of unclear AI terms—why will this be different?”

Certify™ AI turns those objections into trust-building moments. By pointing to your AI compliance badge, you give prospects a third-party validation that answers their concerns upfront—before they slow down the deal.

How to Use Your Badge Effectively

Once certified, the badge becomes a powerful sales and trust signal. Leading vendors use it in:

• Contracts & Proposals: Show certification right on the agreement to eliminate back-and-forth.

• Sales Conversations: Reps can highlight certification when objections arise, moving from “trust us” to “here’s the proof.”

• Websites & RFPs: Display badges to differentiate from competitors and reassure procurement teams.

• Investor & Board Reports: Demonstrate proactive compliance and leadership in AI adoption.

By embedding the badge into your contracting and sales processes, you turn compliance into a competitive advantage.

Why TermScout Leads in AI Contract Certification

Certify™ AI isn’t a standalone process; it builds on TermScout’s core certification, ensuring your contracts already meet the standards for clarity, transparency, and compliance before layering on AI-specific analysis. The result:

• Verified compliance with AI-related contractual obligations

• Independent, third-party validation buyers can rely on

• Dual badges showing both contract-level and AI-specific certification

Discover TermScout’s AI Contract Terms Certification →

The Future of AI Contracting

The future of AI won’t be defined by technical capabilities alone—it will be defined by whether people can trust it. AI terms certification is a practical step toward building that trust. With independent validation, vendors show accountability, buyers gain confidence, and contracts stop slowing innovation.

By earning TermScout’s AI certification badge, businesses not only reduce regulatory and reputational risk but also accelerate revenue by turning contracts into trust signals.

And because Certify™ AI builds on Core Certify™, companies showcase both balanced contract terms and independently verified AI obligations. Together, these dual certifications signal to the market that your business is ready for the next era of AI, transparent, compliant, and built for growth.

Renee Donis

Chief Marketing Officer

Renee Donis, CMO at TermScout leverages marketing expertise by combining data-driven brand strategy, messaging, demand generation, and sales enablement to boost revenue and streamline deals.