AI Acceptable Use Policy Template

This policy establishes guidelines and requirements for the acceptable use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, platforms, and services by employees within [Organization Name]. The purpose of this policy is to:

• Protect organizational data, including Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and other sensitive or proprietary information.

• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and contractual obligations related to data privacy and security.

• Promote responsible and ethical use of AI technologies in business operations.

• Establish clear boundaries for what constitutes acceptable and prohibited use of AI tools.

• Reduce the risk of data leakage, intellectual property exposure, and reputational harm.

This policy applies to:

• All employees, contractors, temporary workers, interns, and third-party personnel who access organizational systems or handle organizational data.

• All AI tools, platforms, services, and integrations used for business purposes, whether provided by the organization or accessed independently.

• All devices used to access AI tools, including organization-owned devices, personal devices used for work (BYOD), and mobile devices.

• All data processed through AI tools, regardless of the data classification level.

The following AI platforms have been approved for business use. Employees must only use approved platforms for work-related activities.

The following uses of AI tools are strictly prohibited:

• Entering CUI, PII, PHI, financial account numbers, Social Security numbers, or other regulated data into any AI platform unless the platform has been specifically approved for that data classification.

• Entering trade secrets, proprietary source code, patent-pending information, or confidential business strategies into external AI platforms.

• Using AI tools to generate content that is discriminatory, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise violates organizational policies or applicable laws.

• Using AI-generated content without human review and validation for any deliverable, decision, communication, or regulatory submission.

• Presenting AI-generated work as original human-authored work in contexts where disclosure is required.

• Using AI tools to circumvent security controls, access unauthorized data, or bypass organizational policies.

• Installing or accessing unapproved AI browser extensions, plugins, or integrations on organization-managed devices.

• Using AI tools to make automated decisions about hiring, termination, compensation, or other employment actions without human oversight.

• Using AI tools to create deepfakes, synthetic media, or misleading content that could harm individuals or the organization.

When using approved AI tools, employees must follow these data handling requirements:

• Review all prompts before submission to ensure they do not contain sensitive, regulated, or proprietary data beyond what the platform is approved to process.

• Strip or anonymize sensitive data elements before including them in AI prompts whenever possible.

• Do not upload files, documents, or datasets containing sensitive data to AI platforms unless the platform has been approved for that data classification and use case.

• Review all AI-generated outputs for accuracy, bias, and appropriateness before using them in business operations.

• Do not rely on AI-generated outputs as the sole source of truth for compliance, legal, financial, or safety-critical decisions.

• Retain records of significant AI interactions that produce business decisions or deliverables in accordance with the organization's records retention policy.

• Report any suspected data leakage through AI tools to the IT Security team immediately.

All employees are responsible for:

• Completing required AI awareness training before using any AI tools for business purposes.

• Understanding which AI platforms are approved and the data classification restrictions for each.

• Exercising professional judgment when reviewing AI-generated content and not blindly accepting outputs.

• Reporting any suspected policy violations, data incidents, or security concerns related to AI use.

• Complying with all applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies when using AI tools.

• Refraining from using personal AI accounts or subscriptions for business activities.

• Keeping current with policy updates and attending refresher training when required.

Employees must report the following AI-related incidents immediately:

• Accidental submission of sensitive, regulated, or proprietary data to an unapproved AI platform.

• Discovery of AI-generated content that contains biased, discriminatory, or inaccurate information used in business decisions.

• Identification of colleagues using unapproved AI tools (Shadow AI) for business activities.

• Receipt of AI-generated phishing emails, deepfake communications, or other AI-enabled social engineering attempts.

• Any situation where AI-generated output has been used in a regulatory submission, legal document, or client deliverable without proper review.

This policy will be reviewed and updated according to the following schedule:

• Quarterly review by the [IT Security Team / Governance Committee] to assess policy effectiveness and update approved platform list.

• Annual comprehensive review including updates to reflect new regulations, emerging AI capabilities, and lessons learned.

• Ad-hoc updates triggered by significant AI-related incidents, new regulatory requirements, or major changes in approved AI platforms.

• All policy updates will be communicated to employees and tracked in the policy version history.