AI Governance: 3 Tips for Using AI Safely and Effectively

AI is an ubiquitous topic of conversation, permeating every aspect of our lives. Whether you’re reading the news, chatting in the office, or tuning in to your favorite podcasts, the buzz around AI is hard to ignore.  

These are exciting times, as AI is positioned to transform how businesses operate, and how we as individuals perform our work. It’s easy to focus on the opportunities for improving productivity and operational efficiency, but there are also risks and challenges that warrant careful consideration. If this sounds familiar to you, it’s because the same things have been said about data for decades.

What is AI governance?

AI governance is basically the rulebook for keeping AI systems safe, ethical, and working the way they’re supposed to. Consider it as the guardrails that keep AI from going rogue. They cover everything from how it’s built to how it’s used. With AI running the show in more and more businesses, having a solid governance plan isn’t just smart—it’s essential to stay ahead of risks and keep things running smoothly.

3 AI governance tips  

Given the similarities between data governance and AI governance, what data governance learnings can we apply to AI governance?  

Prioritize AI literacy to strengthen AI governance

Just as data governance emphasizes the importance of data literacy, AI governance should prioritize AI literacy. It is essential to educate stakeholders, decision-makers, and employees about the fundamental concepts, benefits, limitations, and potential risks associated with AI technologies. At Domo, we foster AI literacy internally through  training sessions, hackathons, and group channels for sharing news and education, all to ensure our employees know how to practice responsible AI use.

Enable safe and monitored use of AI tools

Just like with data, to maximize the benefit of AI, organizations need to create a safe environment to use these tools. By establishing guidelines, policies, and safeguards, organizations can create an environment where AI tools can be used safely. At Domo, we use AI tools that don’t contribute to the public large language models (LLMs) and allow for monitoring of use (these tools are also available to our customers). 

Encourage responsible AI adoption (don’t block usage)

You can’t stop people from using these tools, and nor should you try. When users have a need to perform analytics on their data, they will find ways to accomplish it, even resorting to tools like Excel if necessary.  

The same principle applies to AI technologies: —if users see the value in using AI to enhance their processes, they will seek out ways to incorporate it into their workflows. Rather than disabling access to ChatGPT on the work network, instead promote monitored tools (Domo ChatGPT brick) and educate your users on why they should use these tools instead.  

The pervasive nature of AI in our conversations and its transformative potential across industries can’t be denied. Just as data governance has provided valuable insights and learnings, we can apply similar principles to AI governance. By prioritizing AI literacy, providing safe AI tools, and encouraging the use of these tools, organizations can begin to navigate the complexities of AI governance effectively.  

It is essential to strike a balance between using the power of AI for innovation and maintaining control, security, and ethical considerations. As AI continues to shape our world, it is crucial to approach its governance with a forward-thinking mindset, fostering a culture of responsible innovation and empowering individuals and organizations to harness the benefits of AI while also practicing AI risk management.  

With proper AI governance best practices in place, we can unlock the full potential of AI and pave the way for a future that is both technologically advanced and ethically sound.  

Learn more about Domo’s AI offerings, or read more about our approach to AI.