AI Glossary Term
What does “AI Governance” mean?
Policies, standards, and oversight mechanisms that guide how AI is developed and used in society.
How AI Governance works
Example
A hospital wants to use an AI tool to prioritize patient scans. Before launch, an internal review board checks the tool's test results, a regulator's rules on medical devices apply, and staff are told when a human must double-check the output.
Why it matters
AI affects hiring, lending, health, and public services, so someone has to decide who is accountable when it goes wrong. Governance is how organizations and governments set those rules.
Common questions
Who is responsible for AI governance?
It is shared: governments pass laws, standards bodies publish guidance, and companies set internal policies and oversight.
Is AI governance the same as AI regulation?
Regulation is one part. Governance also includes voluntary standards, internal company controls, audits, and public oversight.
Can governance keep up with fast-changing AI?
It is difficult. Many approaches focus on risks and uses rather than specific technologies so rules stay relevant as methods change.