# Assurance 2.0: A Manifesto

**Authors:** Robin Bloomfield, John Rushby  
**arXiv:** [2004.10474](https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.10474)  
**Date:** 2020-04-22  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/2004.10474v3/

## Key points

- Emergence of autonomous systems driven by machine learning and AI
- Need for ultra-rapid system development
- Requirement for efficient, effective, and timely assurance
- Traditional assurance methods are often perceived as hindrances to innovation due to their high cost and time-consuming nature
- Enables innovation while ensuring continuous incremental assurance
- Introduces a more rigorous approach to assurance
- Emphasizes reasoning and evidence during the assurance process
- Aims for explicit identification of defeaters and counterevidence
- Assurance 2.0 supports innovation while maintaining a robust assurance process

## Summary

In their paper titled "Assurance 2.0: A Manifesto," authors Robin Bloomfield and John Rushby address the challenges faced by system assurance in the modern era. They highlight two main challenges: the emergence of autonomous systems driven by machine learning and AI, and the need for ultra-rapid system development. These challenges are accompanied by persistent issues such as the requirement for efficient, effective, and timely assurance. The authors argue that traditional assurance methods are often perceived as hindrances to innovation due to their perceived high cost and time-consuming nature. To address this problem, they propose a modernized framework called Assurance 2.0. Contrary to expectations, this framework actually enables innovation while ensuring continuous incremental assurance. Assurance 2.0 achieves this by introducing a more rigorous approach to assurance. It places increased emphasis on reasoning and evidence employed during the assurance process, aiming for explicit identification of defeaters (factors that can undermine confidence) and counterevidence (evidence contradicting expected outcomes). By adopting these practices, Assurance 2.0 aims to support innovation while maintaining a robust assurance process. Overall, Bloomfield and Rushby's manifesto presents Assurance 2.0 as an enabler rather than a hindrance to innovation in system assurance. It offers a modernized framework that addresses the challenges posed by autonomous systems and rapid development, making assurance more rigorous through enhanced focus on reasoning, evidence, defeaters, and counterevidence.