Selected examples, templates and practical guidance for organisations developing or reviewing their approach to AI use.
There is no single AI policy that will suit every organisation. A small NGO, consultancy or research group may need a short acceptable-use guide, while an organisation using AI in services or decision-making may require more detailed governance and review arrangements.
The resources below offer different starting points. They illustrate different ways organisations are approaching AI guidance rather than providing a single model to follow. Some provide wording that can be adapted. Others help organisations identify risks, assess proposed uses or connect policy with wider governance. Before adapting them, it is worth checking that they remain current and are appropriate for your own organisation, jurisdiction and way of working.
They are best used alongside the questions on Developing an organisational AI policy, rather than copied without considering the organisation’s own work, people and responsibilities.
Short policies and adaptable templates
Use of artificial intelligence policy template
New Zealand Digital Government provides an editable policy template covering organisational approach, principles and responsibilities for safe and responsible AI use. Although written for public agencies, it is a useful source of structure and draft clauses for other organisations. Terminology, approval arrangements and statutory responsibilities would need adapting. Most useful as: an adaptable template and source of policy wording.
Create an AI policy
The Australian National AI Centre’s guide and editable template is intended to help organisations explain how AI may be used, who is responsible and what rules people should follow. It is particularly accessible for small and medium organisations and provides a practical structure without requiring a large governance function. Most useful as: a straightforward first template for a smaller organisation.
Getting started on a responsible AI use policy for nonprofits
This data.org guide is written for mission-driven organisations. It identifies four foundations for a policy: purpose and scope, organisational values, data-handling expectations, and clear limits on when AI should not be used. It treats policy as a living agreement that supports clarity, consent and shared responsibility rather than simply a compliance document. Most useful as: a starting point for NGOs, charities and community organisations.
Staff guidance and everyday use
Staff guidance on public generative AI
This Australian Government guidance translates responsible-use principles into practical expectations for staff, contractors and consultants using publicly available AI tools. It is particularly useful for questions about organisational information, data handling and individual responsibilities. Most useful as: a source of plain-language staff rules, examples and acceptable-use clauses.
Responsible AI guidance for the New Zealand Public Service
This guidance supports the safe, transparent and responsible exploration of generative AI. It provides a concise foundation for discussions about governance, information use, accountability and organisational readiness. While intended for government agencies, many of its questions are applicable to research bodies, NGOs and professional teams. Most useful as: background guidance and prompts for staff or leadership discussions.
Guidance for NGOs, charities, research organisations and smaller professional teams
MERL Tech Initiative
The MERL Tech Initiative brings together practitioners working at the intersection of monitoring, evaluation, research, learning and AI. Rather than offering a single policy template, it provides practical guidance, community discussions and examples that emphasise fit-for-purpose use, human judgement, governance and learning. It is particularly relevant for organisations wanting to think beyond compliance and consider where AI genuinely supports better work. Most useful as: a broader reference, source of discussion questions and facilitator resource.
Ethical AI guidelines
Developed by the MERL Tech Initiative for Girl Effect, these guidelines grew out of work on AI-enabled chatbots for girls and young women. They combine broad ethical principles with practical implementation guidance and a checklist, covering participation, privacy, transparency, safety, cultural relevance and ongoing human oversight. The accompanying case study also shows how Girl Effect consulted staff, vendors and young users across several countries to test whether the guidance reflected their concerns and was usable in practice. Most useful as: a source of practical safeguards, workshop prompts and implementation questions, particularly where AI use affects communities or service users.
Organisational governance and review
AI Playbook for the UK Government
The UK Government AI Playbook is a substantial guide to using AI safely, effectively and securely. It covers what AI can and cannot do, data, human oversight, risk management, procurement, stakeholder engagement and ongoing monitoring. It is too extensive to serve as a policy template for most smaller organisations, but offers a strong reference when checking whether an important area has been overlooked. Most useful as: a wider reference and source of governance and review questions.
AI for nonprofits resource hub
NTEN’s resource hub brings together an AI governance framework, policy templates, board discussion materials, an equitable project-planning worksheet and questions for evaluating AI tools and vendors. Its emphasis on including staff, boards, programme participants and communities in decisions makes it especially relevant to organisations whose work depends on trust and relationships. Most useful as: a collection of policy, board and workshop materials for non-profit organisations.
Policy for the responsible use of AI in government
The Australian Government policy provides a more developed example of organisational governance. It includes accountable leadership, staff training, transparency, use-case registers and impact assessment. Most small organisations would not reproduce the full system, but selected features offer useful benchmarks for higher-consequence AI uses. Most useful as: a comparison point for more formal governance and accountability arrangements.
Supporting decisions about particular uses
Australian AI register template
The National AI Centre provides editable Word and spreadsheet templates for recording AI systems and uses. A simple register can help an organisation see where AI is already being used, who is responsible, what information is involved and which cases may need closer review. Most useful as: a practical tool for making current AI use visible.
Indigenous data governance and culturally sensitive material
Indigenous AI Commons: example policies and governance documents
The Indigenous AI Commons brings together adaptable declarations, policy examples, data-sharing agreements, research protocols and governance frameworks from Indigenous nations and communities. The collection includes Māori data sovereignty principles, the CARE Principles, First Nations frameworks and practical data-governance tools. It also cautions that no document transfers directly across jurisdictions or communities. Most useful as: a starting collection for considering collective rights, consent, custodianship, culturally sensitive knowledge and Indigenous data sovereignty.
Using these resources
Templates can help with structure and wording, but they do not remove the need for discussion. Before adapting one, it is worth asking:
- What work and people does the guidance need to protect?
- Where is AI already being used?
- Which existing policies and ethical responsibilities apply?
- Which uses need additional scrutiny or approval?
- Who remains responsible for review and decisions?
- How will difficult cases be discussed?
- How will the guidance be reviewed as practice changes?
A short policy grounded in actual work may be more useful than a comprehensive template adopted with little discussion.
This page forms part of the Learning for Sustainability resources on AI and professional practice. Explore the AI hub for related essays, guidance and curated resources. For questions to help develop or review organisational guidance, see Developing an organisational AI policy. If your organisation is still exploring where AI fits, Working with AI: where to begin offers a practical way into conversations about purpose, responsibility and review. For broader perspectives on AI’s social, ethical and organisational implications, see AI in context: the wider picture.
[* Image by Jintana / Adobe Stock]