How to Create a Simple AI Policy for Your Business

If more than one person in your business is using AI, an unwritten understanding isn’t enough. A simple AI policy turns “we’re probably fine” into a clear, shared set of rules — and it’s far quicker to put together than most business owners expect.

Why Small Businesses Need an AI Policy

Staff are often already using ChatGPT or similar tools informally, without anyone having agreed what’s appropriate. A short policy closes that gap: it protects client data, keeps output consistent, and gives your team confidence about what they can and can’t do — rather than everyone guessing differently.

Approved Tools

Start by naming which tools staff are actually allowed to use. This doesn’t need to be restrictive — ChatGPT and Google Gemini both have solid, well-known free tiers — but naming them explicitly stops people quietly signing up for random tools with unclear data practices.

What Data Not to Enter

This is the single most important section. Be specific: client names and contact details, financial information, anything under an NDA or confidentiality agreement, passwords, and staff personal data should never go into a public AI tool. When it’s written down plainly, people follow it — the risk usually comes from nobody ever saying it out loud.

Human Review

State clearly that AI output is a draft, not a finished product, and that a person checks it before it reaches a customer or client. This single rule prevents the majority of real AI mistakes businesses run into.

Accuracy Checks

AI can state incorrect information confidently. Your policy should require that any specific facts, figures, or claims are verified before they’re used — especially anything customer-facing.

Brand Voice

Add a line about tone: AI drafts should always be edited to sound like your business, not like a generic template. A couple of example “before and after” edits can make this concrete for staff rather than abstract.

Staff Responsibilities

Be clear about who’s responsible for checking AI output before it’s used, and what happens if something goes out that shouldn’t have. This isn’t about blame — it’s about making sure everyone knows where the responsibility sits.

Example Policy Sections

A simple, usable AI policy typically covers:

• Which tools are approved for use
• What data must never be entered
• When human review is required
• How accuracy is checked
• How brand voice is maintained
• What AI should never be used for (legal advice, HR decisions, anything requiring professional judgement)

That’s genuinely enough for most small businesses — it doesn’t need to run to dozens of pages to be effective.

Get Help Creating an AI Policy

If you’d rather not start from a blank page, we can help put together a simple, practical AI policy built around how your business actually works — plus a short staff training session if you want everyone talking from the same page. Find out more about AI Policy Guidance, or get in touch to get started.