Principles

Staying in charge is an operating practice

Respect, care, and accountability translated into practical duties for organizations adopting AI.

01

Respect

What may the system touch?

Set boundaries around people, data, decisions, and work before delegating anything.

02

Care

What effects must you foresee?

Test likely benefits, failure modes, and consequences for the people affected by the workflow.

03

Accountability

Who answers for the outcome?

Name who will answer for outcomes, acknowledge harm, repair what can be repaired, and carry the consequences.

AIAC's governance direction is grounded in the Humans Are In Charge manifesto. That manifesto is the authoritative source for the duties of Respect, Care, and Accountability; this page translates those duties into adoption practice without replacing or ranking above the source.

Responsibility as response-ability

Responsibility means retaining the capacity and ongoing duty to perceive, judge, and act while it matters. Monitoring and intervention help people meet that duty. Accountability means answering for outcomes, repairing harm, and carrying consequences.

Governance without the fear register

Governance is not a brake applied after value appears. Clear boundaries make pilots safer to run. Monitoring makes results more trustworthy. Named ownership makes useful workflows durable.

A practical test

Before advancing a workflow, ask:

  1. Have we respected the people, data, and decisions involved?
  2. Have we cared enough to examine likely effects and failure modes?
  3. Is someone accountable, equipped to monitor, and able to intervene?

If any answer is unclear, the workflow is not ready to advance.