You’ve been tasked with writing guidelines for how your employees should use AI.
Maybe you’re in IT, Legal, or HR… or maybe you’ve just been “volunteered” because you’re the one on the team who seems to know the most about generative AI. Either way, you’re not alone: across Fortune 1000 companies, leaders are being asked to balance innovation with risk management.
The challenge? You need clear, practical guidance that keeps the company safe and encourages employees to explore the potential of AI tools.
Without a clear AI policy, you’re going to fall behind. No guidance leaves employees guessing and afraid they might get fired if they use AI for anything.
But if the rules are buried in a SharePoint doc no one reads, they won’t work.
If they’re too vague, they won’t help.
And if they’re so restrictive that no one can use AI at all, your employees will find workarounds – and you’ll end up with more risk, not less.
So what should a modern AI usage policy include? Here’s a playbook.
Set expectations by listing which tools are approved for company use—whether that’s ChatGPT Enterprise, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, or others.
Be explicit: “Only company-approved AI tools may be used for work purposes.”
Employees should not use personal accounts or random browser extensions to handle company data. This is less about being a buzzkill and more about ensuring that your data doesn’t get logged, sold, or leaked.
Spell out what AI is good for:
And perhaps even more importantly, what it’s not for:
Think of this section as giving people permission to explore, while also drawing clear guardrails.
One of the easiest rules to remember: don’t put confidential or personal data into AI tools. That includes:
Even if a tool promises encryption, the safest default is to assume anything you put in might end up outside the company walls.
AI can draft, but it shouldn’t decide.
Require employees to review and fact-check AI outputs before sending, publishing, or coding. Accuracy, tone, and appropriateness are always the responsibility of the human in the loop.
Make it clear that use of AI must align with existing company security and compliance rules. This includes GDPR, HIPAA, or any sector-specific regulation.
And don’t forget the small stuff – like banning unapproved plug-ins or extensions that might bypass IT controls.
Who owns AI-generated work?
Your policy should say: if it’s created for work purposes, it’s company IP.
Also, be cautious about using outputs from free or public tools with unclear licensing. For official deliverables, client presentations, or software code, review before using.
AI tools can unintentionally generate biased or harmful outputs. Encourage employees to stay alert, call out issues, and report problematic results to a designated team (IT, Legal, or HR).
This isn’t just a compliance checkbox; it’s a culture-setting moment. A responsible AI policy signals that your company takes fairness and ethics seriously.
Employees don’t need to announce every AI-assisted sentence in an email, but it’s smart to acknowledge AI involvement for external reports, creative content, or client-facing deliverables.
A simple note (like “This blog post was prepared with the assistance of AI tools”) goes a long way in maintaining trust.
Policies don’t work without enablement. Offer training sessions, quick guides, or even office hours to help employees use AI effectively and safely.
This is especially important for Gen Z and millennial employees, who are eager adopters but may underestimate compliance risks.
AI evolves weekly. Make it clear your policy isn’t a one-and-done. Tell employees it will be updated regularly, and that usage may be monitored for compliance.
Transparency here builds trust: it’s better to say upfront than to surprise people later.
The most common reason policies fail? No one can find them. Put your AI guidelines where people work: in onboarding docs, Slack channels, team wikis, or even as a pinned reference in commonly used AI tools.
A few publicly available AI usage policies you can link to or draw inspiration from:
These examples show how organizations across industries are approaching the balance between innovation and risk.
A great AI policy doesn’t just prevent mistakes – it unlocks safe, confident experimentation. Done well, your AI policy will help your employees harness AI to be faster, more creative, and more effective, while protecting your company’s data and reputation.
Remember: keep it clear, keep it practical, and keep it visible.
