Operating guide · AI governance

Introducing a safe-use artificial intelligence policy before tool sprawl takes hold

A policy and adoption rollout for a growing Australian business.

Where things stand

The operating problem

Staff already use several public artificial intelligence tools for drafting, analysis and customer work. Management wants productivity benefits but cannot see which data, accounts, outputs or decisions are involved.

A better working position

Staff understand approved tools, prohibited data, required review, high-impact exclusions and incident reporting; approved use cases have owners and the policy is reinforced by product, identity and training controls.

Gaps to close

  • Enable useful experimentation without uncontrolled disclosure
  • Make rules understandable in everyday work
  • Ensure the policy changes day-to-day behaviour
  • Create an approval and exception path

Decisions to settle

  • Approved tools and account types
  • Data that may not enter public services
  • Decisions that require qualified human ownership
  • How exceptions and new tools are approved

How to know it is working

  • Staff can classify examples from their own work
  • Approved tools and owners are recorded
  • Sensitive-data and high-impact rules are clear
  • Incident and exception channels are tested

Working documents

  • Plain-language artificial intelligence use policy
  • Approved-tool and use-case register
  • Training scenarios
  • Supplier-assessment questions
  • Review and exception workflow

Putting the routine in place

  1. 01

    Use and data discovery

    Survey real tools, tasks, information, outputs, customer commitments and existing contracts.

  2. 02

    Risk and policy design

    Define approved, conditional and prohibited use; data rules; human review; recordkeeping; supplier assessment; and incidents.

  3. 03

    Control and education

    Configure approved services, access and retention where available and train staff with real examples.

  4. 04

    Operate and improve

    Review new requests, incidents, value and vendor changes and update the policy with dated decisions.

Useful operational references

  1. Australian Government — Voluntary AI Safety Standard
  2. Australian Government — National AI Plan: spread the benefits
  3. Office of the Australian Information Commissioner — Small business and the Privacy Act

A practical next step

Plan the work around the real environment.

Share what is not working, what is changing or what decision needs to be made. Technical answers can come after the business context is clear.