Banning AI rarely works, and silence is worse. Staff will use the tools they find helpful. The organisation’s job is to make a few clear decisions so that use is safe and useful.
1. Which tools are approved
Name the tools staff may use for work and explain how accounts are provided. Consumer and business versions of the same tool can handle data very differently.
2. What information is off limits
Be specific. Customer identification details, payment information, health or beneficiary records, unpublished financials and confidential contracts are common examples. Give staff examples, not just categories.
3. When a person must review
Decide which outputs need a human check before use, such as anything sent to a customer, published or used in a decision. Make the reviewer’s responsibility explicit.
4. How to report a problem
Mistakes will happen. A simple route for reporting an incident, such as sensitive data entered by mistake, lets you respond quickly and learn.
5. Who owns the guidance
Guidance needs an owner who updates it as tools and needs change. Review it at least twice a year.
These decisions fit on two pages. Pair them with practical training and you have a foundation that supports adoption rather than slowing it. Organisations working across several countries should also have the guidance reviewed for each jurisdiction.
Next step: turn this into a plan for your organisation.