What is AI Governance?
AI governance is the set of policies, processes, and organizational structures regulating the development, deployment, and operation of AI systems in an enterprise. It covers ethical, legal, technical, and business aspects.
Governance pillars
Inventory — registry of all AI systems in the organization (including Shadow AI). Risk classification — risk assessment per AI Act (unacceptable, high, limited, minimal). Policies — acceptable use rules, quality requirements, deployment procedures. Accountability — who is responsible for AI decisions. Monitoring — continuous quality and compliance control.
AI Act and corporate governance
The AI Act mandates AI literacy from February 2, 2025 (Art. 4), and full high-risk system requirements from August 2026. AI governance isn't optional — it's a legal requirement for any EU company using AI.