Consultants Tip: Most businesses can't manage all 6 pillars at once.

We recommend starting with Pillar 1 (Shadow AI Discovery) and Pillar 4 (The Playbook) then layering in Pillar 2 (Impact Assessments) for the higher-risk tools.

Your first AI Risk Management framework starts here.

If your organisation is starting to adopt AI, you're probably asking the right questions but not sure where to start. The National AI Centre (NAIC) Essential 6 offers a structured starting point for businesses looking to formalise their approach to responsible AI Governance, with the introductory ‘Foundations’ version.

Who’s this for? If your organisation is in the early stages of adopting AI, this checklist will help ask the questions your organisation should be asking of its first AI Governance framework.

This checklist focuses on the core Essential Six pillars:

1. Assigning accountability

2. Assessing stakeholder impacts

3. Managing technical risks

4. Sharing information Monitoring performance

5. Ensuring human oversight

How will this help? Implementing a robust governance framework introduces a tangible market advantage. This approach ensures that every deployment is resilient and sustainable, fostering the stakeholder trust necessary to lead your industry in responsible AI adoption.