Governance conversations often assume a scale — legal teams, compliance departments — that smaller organizations don't have. That doesn't mean governance is optional; it means it needs to be lighter-weight.
Start with data handling, not policy documents
The most immediate risk for most organizations is what data employees are pasting into external AI tools. A simple, clear rule here matters more than a comprehensive policy at first.
Define what needs human review
Not every AI-assisted output needs sign-off, but customer-facing communication, financial figures, and anything legally binding should have a clear human-review requirement.
Keep the policy short enough to actually be read
A five-page AI policy nobody reads provides less real governance than a one-page policy everyone's actually seen and understood.
Revisit as tools and usage evolve
What counts as acceptable use today may need revisiting in six months as both the tools and your team's use of them mature. Build in a review point from the start.