First published on Thursday, January 29, 2026
Last updated on Thursday, January 29, 2026
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Data from our AI pulse report survey suggests that AI tools are being widely adopted by businesses in the UK. With employers favoring the latest technology for tasks such as:
Day-to-day administration
Marketing content creation
Research and analytics
Business reporting
As useful as AI can be, saving time and money, there are risks associated with adopting it in the workplace.
In fact, 75% of businesses in 2025 reported feeling concerned about cyber security. While another 45% were worried about the impact on their people and business performance.
Our HR experts at BrightHR suggest managing the risks with an AI policy.
What is an AI workplace policy?
An AI policy is a piece of documentation you can introduce in order to manage and implement restrictions on AI use in the workplace.
If you’re keen to make the most of the benefits of AI at work but want to mitigate the risks, writing a policy is a step you should consider. It will ensure that rules are implemented and staff understand their responsibilities.
Does the law require a policy for AI?
At present there are no laws to specify the requirement of an AI policy in the workplace. However, there is much deliberation across the UK government and around the continent as to how AI can be safely implemented and monitored.
One thing to consider is the GDPR and data protection laws in the UK which will come into play when staff are inputting sensitive or personal information into an AI tool. To ensure that compliance with these laws is maintained, and data leaks are prevented, an AI policy is recommended.
How to implement an AI policy
The process of writing an AI policy is much the same as any other workplace policy. It requires several considerations and a clear definition of rules and requirements for staff.
Define the purpose of the policy
To create a policy that is cohesive and provides the solution you want, you must define its purpose. For example:
Provide clarity
The policy explains what AI tools are allowed, what they can be used for, and where the boundaries are. This helps employees understand expectations and reduces uncertainty or misuse.
Manage risk
An AI policy helps organisations address risks such as data protection breaches, confidentiality issues, bias, inaccurate outputs, and regulatory non-compliance.
Protect data and people
It sets rules around handling personal, customer, and company data when using AI, and outlines safeguards for employees, clients, and the business.
Support ethical and responsible use
The policy typically defines principles such as fairness, transparency, human oversight, and accountability when AI is involved in decision-making or content creation.
Ensure legal and regulatory compliance
It aligns AI use with employment law, data protection law, intellectual property rules, and any sector-specific regulations.
Promote consistency and accountability
By setting standards across the organisation, the policy ensures AI is used consistently and makes clear who is responsible for decisions involving AI tools.
Enable innovation safely
Rather than banning AI, a workplace AI policy allows organisations to benefit from AI while setting guardrails that support safe and productive adoption.
Evaluate use cases for AI in your business
Talk to your teams to better understand why they may benefit from the use of AI. This will help you identify the areas where AI is most useful and supports the growth of your business.
You may even be able to estimate how much time and money an AI tool could save you.
Conduct a risk of assessment
If AI is already being used in the workplace, what are the challenges you have already faced? Or consider the risks we already know such as:
Cyber security and data protection
Business performance
Employee engagement
Legal compliance with data protection laws and GDPR
Recruitment and retention challenges
Risks to business reputation if things go wrong
By being aware of the risks of using AI in the workplace, you can lay out the foundations for the rules and regulations of your policy.
Identify the appropriate control measures
Knowing these risks, you will next need to think about the control measures you can implement in the workplace.
Control measures to include in your policy may include:
Restrictions on data use - Prohibiting employees from entering personal data, confidential business information, or client data into AI tools.
Approved tools - Allowing only named AI tools that meet security and compliance requirements.
Human oversight requirements - Requiring human review before AI-generated content or decisions are used, especially in HR, legal, or customer-facing contexts.
Use-case limitations - Allowing AI for drafting or research but not for automated decision-making about employees or customers.
Approval and escalation processes - Requiring management or IT approval before new AI tools are introduced, or new use cases are adopted.
Access controls - Limiting who can use AI tools based on roles, seniority, or training completion.
Training and competency requirements - Requiring employees to complete AI awareness or data protection training before using AI tools.
Monitoring and review mechanisms - Periodic reviews of AI usage, incidents, or compliance with the policy.
Disciplinary consequences - Setting out what happens if the AI policy or controls are breached.
Assign governance roles
Governance positions can be valuable when approaching the legal and ethical concerns of technology in the workplace.
Assigning the role of an AI governor could be something to consider. This individual or team can take on the responsibility of managing use in the workplace and keeping on top of emerging technologies. They can also review your business use cases and assess chosen tools and resources to find the most appropriate and secure AI technologies for the business.
Communicate the policy to all staff
Finally, no good policy work will be effective if not properly communicated to staff.
To officially implement your AI policy, you must explain the details of it to your employees. Clearly outlining their roles and responsibilities to ensure proper AI use in the workplace.
Storing any workplace policy in an accessible location makes it easy for your staff to review these policies as and when they want to.
BrightHR’s unlimited HR document storage allows business owners to upload HR documents and policies into a secure, digital location that is accessible for all staff.
Training your employees to use AI
To support the addition of your new policy and to reduce the risks of AI in the workplace, you should also consider some AI training.
In January 2026, the UK government announced Free AI training for businesses in the UK. Providing over 10 million workers with key AI skills by 2030.
These training programmes will be open to all adults in the UK, providing skills such as:
Drafting text
Creating content
Completing administrative tasks
By boosting the confidence of workers and providing new skills, the government aims to support the upskilling of millions of workers in this new age of tech.
AI tools backed by HR experts
Secure AI tools built into existing platforms is one-way for businesses to access the advanced tech of AI with the security and stability of trusted software.
At BrightHR we are integrating AI across our HR platform to save your business time and money. With features such as our recruitment navigator, performance management feature, and instant answers tool, we’re already making processes easier for our clients.
To discover these features and so much more, why not book a free demo?
What’s more, our HR advisors are on hand to support our clients with the support they need to implement AI in the workplace safely and securely. Our employment law advisors can provide you with the answers you need to implement an AI policy whilst remaining compliant with UK employment and data protection laws.
