How do I create an AI acceptable use policy?

Banning AI tools is generally counterproductive. Staff will use them anyway through personal devices and accounts, creating shadow AI risks. A better approach is providing approved tools with appropriate safeguards and clear guidelines for their use.

Enforcement combines technical controls, such as approved tool access and data loss prevention, with management oversight and a culture of responsible use. Regular training, clear consequences for violations, and easy reporting of concerns support effective enforcement.

Review quarterly at minimum, and update whenever significant new AI tools are adopted, regulations change, or incidents reveal policy gaps. Communicate updates clearly to all staff and provide refresher training on significant changes.

Shadow AI occurs when staff use unapproved AI tools. Address it by providing easy access to approved alternatives, communicating why approved tools are safer, monitoring for unapproved tool usage through network controls, and creating a process for requesting new tools to be evaluated and approved.

A single core policy should apply organisation-wide, with role-specific appendices for departments with unique requirements. Legal teams may have stricter client data restrictions. Marketing teams may have broader content generation permissions. Keep the core principles consistent while allowing proportionate flexibility.