Strategic actions towards AI governance

This high-level guideline is intended for senior parliamentary managers, including those working at a strategic or board management level, and in particular those who have, or will have, a role in governing the use of AI.

This guideline outlines key actions for effective AI governance in parliaments. It focuses on creating an ethical framework, establishing robust governance structures and developing comprehensive policies for the use of AI-based technologies. It emphasizes stakeholder engagement, strategic alignment with parliamentary goals, and capacity-building.

This guideline promotes responsible AI innovation, balancing technological advancement with ethical use to deliver benefits including improved data reliability and risk management, and more effective AI implementations.

Individual parliaments should adapt the recommendations contained in this guideline to suit their unique circumstances and resources, using them as a foundation for developing tailored guidance aligned with their existing strategies and methods.

The journey towards effective AI governance begins with an understanding of its importance. AI governance is about more than simply managing new technology: it is about creating a framework that maximizes the benefits of AI while minimizing its risks.

By taking a strategic approach to AI governance, parliaments can build a robust AI ecosystem that balances operational needs with innovation and ethical considerations, enhancing data and system reliability, and creating a trustworthy ecosystem for AI-based digital services.

Strategic governance ensures that AI initiatives align closely with business requirements, increasing the overall effectiveness of AI implementations. It promotes fair and inclusive practices, upholding the democratic principles that parliaments embody. By encouraging responsible innovation, it positions parliaments at the forefront of technological advancement in governance.

Moreover, a strategic governance approach improves compliance with still-evolving legislation governing AI use in the public sector, helping parliaments to stay ahead of the curve and reducing the risk of future non-compliance.

Key benefits of strategic AI governance:

• Maximizes the benefits to be obtained from AI while better managing risk
• Ensures clear alignment with business processes
• Increases the reliability of data and systems
• Promotes fair practices and responsible innovation
• Increases parliament’s preparedness for evolving regulatory landscapes
• Leaves parliaments well-placed to cooperate and collaborate, sharing good practices relating to AI

The first step in this journey is to establish a solid governance structure, which requires a multidisciplinary approach across parliament involving executive boards, legal departments, business units and the IT function. Some parliaments may choose to add AI capacity to existing governance boards, while others might create an AI-specific board. Regardless of the chosen structure, the responsibilities of such a body are to approve AI policies, monitor strategies, oversee projects and address ethical issues as they arise.

With this structure in place, the next task is to develop a comprehensive AI governance policy. This policy should guide all AI-related activities within parliament. A dedicated working group should lead this effort, defining objectives, outlining ethical principles and ensuring legal compliance. The policy will clearly delineate roles and responsibilities for key stakeholders, as well as establish processes for risk management, information security and data governance.

Actions:

• Establish an AI governance structure and policy
• Define roles, responsibilities and key processes

Since the adoption of AI is both challenging and filled with potential, adopting these strategic measures will help parliaments lead the way in responsible AI use. It is possible to leverage AI’s immense potential while upholding democratic principles and ethical standards.

As parliaments embark on this journey, they must do so not just for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of the citizens they serve. By governing AI responsibly, they can pave the way to a future where technology and democracy work hand in hand, enhancing governance and improving lives.

Key points:

• Responsible AI governance benefits both parliaments and citizens.
• Parliaments can lead the way in responsible AI use.

At the heart of AI governance lies a robust code of ethics. This code serves as a declaration of values, guiding the use of AI and the management of the associated risks. It should reflect parliament’s commitment to privacy, transparency, accountability, fairness and societal well-being. Importantly, this code must align with existing laws, regulations and parliamentary procedures. It must be adaptable and responsive to change. It should also include real-world examples, in order to aid understanding and adoption and to demonstrate how these ethical principles apply in practice.

Actions:

• Create an AI code of ethics reflecting parliamentary values.
• Ensure alignment with national laws, standards, international good practice and parliamentary procedures.

With the foundational elements in place, parliament can now focus on creating a comprehensive AI strategy. This strategy serves as a road map, aligning AI use with the institution’s broader goals and objectives. It should include a clear vision, set measurable goals, outline specific actions and define key performance indicators (KPIs). The strategy must also address ethical principles, regulatory issues and infrastructure requirements.

Once the decision to adopt AI has been made, building capacity within parliament becomes crucial for success. This involves developing a robust plan for staff training and skills development.

Thinking about how to approach the introduction of AI is also important at this stage. It is often beneficial to start with small, manageable pilot projects, which help to build confidence and demonstrate the value of AI in a controlled environment. Encouraging experimentation and cross-functional collaboration can foster innovation and drive successful AI initiatives.

Actions:

• Develop a comprehensive AI strategy aligned with parliamentary goals.
• Build internal capacity through training and skills development.
• Look for small pilot projects to build confidence and demonstrate value.

Even the best governance structure and code of ethics will prove ineffective without proper stakeholder engagement. Identifying and involving stakeholders from various levels and departments is crucial. Engaging these stakeholders early and often helps to manage risks, identify potential pitfalls and significantly increase the chances of successful AI implementation.

Action:

• Engage stakeholders from all relevant departments and levels.

For a list of national government guidelines, strategies and programmes relating to AI, refer to the sub-guideline Strategic actions towards AI governance: Find out more.

The Guidelines for AI in parliaments are published by the IPU in collaboration with the Parliamentary Data Science Hub in the IPU’s Centre for Innovation in Parliament. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence. It may be freely shared and reused with acknowledgement of the IPU. For more information about the IPU’s work on artificial intelligence, please visit www.ipu.org/AI or contact [email protected].

About the guidelines | The role of AI in parliaments | Introducing AI applications | Inter-parliamentary cooperation for AI | Risks and challenges for parliaments | Generic risks and biases | Ethical principles | Risk management | Alignment with national and international AI frameworks and standards | Project portfolio management | Data governance | Systems development | Security management | Training for Data Literacy and AI Literacy | Glossary of terms