BABL AI

BABL AI is an independent algorithm-audit and assurance firm founded in 2018 and headquartered in Iowa City, Iowa. Engagements typically begin when a regulation with an audit or assessment obligation lands on a client: a New York City Local Law 144 bias audit of an automated hiring tool, EU AI Act conformity preparation, ISO/IEC 42001 audit work, or a NIST AI RMF readiness review; the firm also lists Digital Services Act and EEOC-oriented reviews. Audits follow a common three-phase arc — scoping against the applicable criteria, document review with follow-up evidence requests and stakeholder interviews, then a report with findings and corrective actions — and require no software integration on the client side. A consulting line covers algorithm risk and impact assessments, governance gap analyses, EU AI Act preparation and implementation guidance, and an online education line sells certification programs, including an AI and Algorithm Auditor program at a published $2,999. A team of about two dozen is led by founder Shea Brown, a University of Iowa astrophysicist and ForHumanity Fellow, alongside three co-founders covering ethics, operations and product. Publicly named clients cluster in hiring technology: iCIMS, HackerRank, RippleMatch and BrightHire. Audit and consulting pricing is not published; the audits page describes stage-one and stage-two ISO/IEC 42001 certification audits but does not name an accreditation body.