What is an AI policy template, and does my organisation need one?

It is a short document that tells your people which AI tools they may use, what data must never go into them, when AI use should be disclosed, and who is accountable. You almost certainly need one already: surveys show most staff are using AI tools at work whether or not anyone has set rules. Without a policy, your first AI incident, a data leak into a public chatbot for example, happens with no agreed boundary to fall back on.

Is this AI policy template free, and do I keep it?

Yes. The generator is free, the policy is yours to keep, edit and adopt, and Starkhorn takes no ongoing rights over it. We ask for your name, work email and organisation so we can send you the policy and, if you want, talk about putting governance behind it.

Does using this policy make us compliant with the law or with ISO 42001?

No. This is a starting draft, not legal advice and not certification. It is anchored in ISO 42001, NCSC and ICO guidance so it points you in a sensible direction, but compliance with UK data-protection law, the EU AI Act or any standard requires your own review, and certification against ISO 42001 is granted only by accredited bodies after a formal audit. Have a qualified professional review the policy before you rely on it.

Which frameworks and guidance is this based on?

ISO/IEC 42001:2023, the world’s first AI management system standard, which expects an approved AI policy; the NCSC’s guidance on the secure development and use of AI systems; and the ICO’s guidance on AI and data protection under UK GDPR. Where the policy touches transparency for AI-generated content, it reflects the direction of the EU AI Act’s transparency obligations, without claiming legal compliance with them.