How to implement AI governance frameworks for small businesses

Choose a light baseline, publish a short policy pack, create a simple use case register, and add minimum monitoring. Keep it to what your team will use every week. Expand only when risk grows.

Why it matters
Right sized programs stick. Oversized programs gather dust.

Deep dive

• Baseline: use plain ideas from well known frameworks but keep the scope small.

• Policy pack: acceptable use, data rules, model risk rules, and vendor rules.

• Register: list use cases with purpose, data, and risk tier.

• Monitoring: logs, tests for bias and accuracy, review of incidents.

• Cadence: monthly review for high risk, quarterly for the rest.

Checklist

1. Pick a simple baseline.

2. Publish a short policy pack.

3. Create a register with owners.

4. Add basic tests and logs.

5. Review on a steady cadence.

Definitions

• Baseline: the smallest set of rules that cover the risk.

• Cadence: a regular schedule for reviews.