AI Governance FAQ
What is AI governance?
Quick answer
AI governance is the set of policies, processes, oversight mechanisms, and accountability structures that govern how an organisation develops, deploys, and uses artificial intelligence. It covers who is responsible for AI decisions, how AI risk is managed, how AI use is monitored, and how the organisation demonstrates accountability to regulators and stakeholders. AI governance is distinct from AI ethics — ethics sets out principles, governance operationalises them. For Irish organisations, EU AI Act enforcement from August 2026 makes governance not just good practice but a legal requirement.
What AI governance includes in practice
In practice, an AI governance programme has several interlocking components. An AI use policy defines what the organisation permits and prohibits when using AI — covering tools, data handling, verification requirements, and employee obligations. An AI inventory maps every system in use across the organisation, classified by risk tier. A governance structure identifies who is responsible for AI decisions at board, senior management, and operational levels. A risk register captures known AI risks and the controls in place. Oversight mechanisms — whether a governance committee, a designated AI lead, or a review process — ensure that AI decisions are monitored and errors are caught. Incident reporting processes handle AI failures. And an audit trail documents the organisation's governance activity for regulators, clients, and internal accountability.
AI governance and the EU AI Act
The EU AI Act does not use the phrase "AI governance" as a defined term, but governance is the practical prerequisite for almost all of its requirements. Organisations cannot conduct conformity assessments without a governance structure to own them. They cannot maintain the required technical documentation without an inventory and an accountable lead. They cannot implement human oversight without oversight mechanisms. For Irish organisations, the AI Act's August 2026 enforcement date means that the absence of AI governance is now a regulatory exposure — enforceable by 15 National Competent Authorities including the Central Bank, the DPC, and sector-specific bodies.
Acuity AI builds AI governance frameworks for Irish organisations, from policy to oversight structure to board reporting. See our AI governance services.