How to Set Up an AI Governance Committee: Roles, Structure, and Charter
Executive Summary
- An AI Governance Committee provides oversight, direction, and accountability for AI use across the organization
- Committee composition should include cross-functional representation: technology, business, risk, legal, and HR
- A clear charter defines authority, responsibilities, meeting cadence, and decision-making processes
- Start simple—a committee of 5-7 members meeting quarterly can be effective
- The committee approves policies, reviews high-risk AI deployments, and monitors governance effectiveness
- This structure scales with organizational size and AI maturity
- Document decisions and maintain records for audit and accountability
Committee Structure Options
Option A: Dedicated AI Governance Committee
Best for: Large organizations with significant AI investment
Option B: Expanded Risk Committee
Best for: Organizations with mature risk governance
Option C: Informal Governance Group
Best for: Smaller organizations or early AI maturity
Recommended Committee Composition
| Role | Why Included |
|---|---|
| Chair | Leads meetings, drives agenda |
| Technology/IT | Technical feasibility, security |
| Business Operations | Business requirements, adoption |
| Risk/Compliance | risk assessment, regulatory |
| Legal | Legal risk, contracts, liability |
| HR | People impact, training |
Ideal size: 5-7 members
RACI Matrix: AI Governance Committee
| Activity | Committee | Chair | AI Lead | Business Units | Executive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Strategy Approval | R | A | C | C | A |
| AI policy Approval | A | R | C | I | I |
| High-Risk AI Approval | A | R | C | R | I |
| Low/Medium-Risk AI Approval | I | I | A | R | I |
| AI risk register Review | R | C | A | C | I |
| Incident Response (Major) | R | A | R | C | A |
| Board/Executive Reporting | C | R | C | I | A |
Committee Charter Essential Elements
- Purpose - Oversight and direction for AI
- Authority - What the committee can decide
- Membership - Composition, appointment, quorum
- Responsibilities - Governance, risk management, strategy
- Meetings - Frequency, agenda, minutes
- Decision Making - Consensus, voting, urgent decisions
- Reporting - To executive leadership/board
- Review - Annual charter review
Quarterly Meeting Agenda (90 minutes)
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 0:00 | Opening and follow-up |
| 0:10 | AI inventory update |
| 0:20 | Risk register review |
| 0:35 | High-risk approval requests |
| 0:55 | Incident review |
| 1:05 | Policy updates |
| 1:15 | Governance metrics |
| 1:25 | Emerging issues |
| 1:30 | Decisions and action items |
Getting Started Checklist
Formation
- Decide on committee structure
- Identify and confirm members
- Appoint Chair and AI Lead
- Draft and approve charter
- Communicate formation
Operations
- Regular meeting schedule confirmed
- Agenda and minutes process established
- Decision tracking in place
- Reporting cadence defined
Frequently Asked Questions
Next Steps
Book an AI Readiness Audit with Pertama Partners for guidance on governance structures tailored to your organization.
Related Reading
- AI Governance 101: What It Is and Why It Matters
- AI Governance Policy Template
- AI Investment Prioritization
Frequently Asked Questions
Quarterly is typical for most organizations. Monthly may be appropriate during initial setup or heavy AI deployment periods.
