ˌeɪsˌiːˌɛsˈaɪ bɪɡˈæn ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ, dɪvˈɛləpt baɪ ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃɚz wɪððə nˈæʃənəl kwˈɔlᵻɾi ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ sˈɛntɚɹ æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv mˈɪʃɪɡən, ɪn koʊˈɑːpɚɹˈeɪʃən wɪððɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən səsˈaɪəɾi fɔːɹ kwˈɔlᵻɾi ænd sˌiːˌɛfˈaɪ ɡɹˈuːp, ˈɪŋk.
ACSI began in 1994, developed by researchers with the National Quality Research Center at the University of Michigan, in cooperation with the American Society for Quality and CFI Group, Inc.