How to write an AI governance decision record
A decision record should let a later reviewer understand what was known, what remained uncertain and who accepted the conditions.
What is actually being approved?
Name a system, version, use and deployment state. “AI approved” cannot distinguish a synthetic-data pilot from live automated decision-making.
This structure supports voluntary NIST risk management. The record alone cannot establish legal permission, safety or a certified management system.
Worked example. Conditional pilot approval
Fictional example. Beacon Support permits AI-014 to draft replies using synthetic examples for a two-week internal pilot. Staff review every output.
The decision prohibits live customer data and automatic sending. Procurement must resolve retention terms before the next decision.
The record links the pilot test set and supplier review. It labels unsupported language performance as unknown, not covered by English testing.
Name who can stop the pilot and what triggers a stop. Preserve failed tests even after correction.
Reopen the decision when the model, data access, affected people or human-review arrangement materially changes.
State the decision precisely
Name the system, version, use, users, affected people and the exact approval, restriction or stop decision.
Separate evidence from judgment
List confirmed evidence, conflicting evidence, uncertainty and the reasons for the judgment. Do not present assumptions as supplier facts.
Set conditions and review triggers
Record controls, monitoring, incident triggers, supplier changes, expiry, review owner and approval time.
Working checklist and fictional samples
Use this checklist as an operating aid, not an exhaustive legal assessment. Inspect the samples before entering your own facts.
- State the exact decision scope and system version.
- Separate observed evidence, conflicting findings and judgment.
- List limitations, uncertainty and reasons for the decision.
- Assign conditions and evidence required to lift restrictions.
- Set monitoring, incident and supplier-change triggers.
- Record approver, decision date, next review and previous decision reference.
- Fictional US AI inventory PDF. Inspect one system record and its evidence gaps. It is not NIST certification.
- Fictional US AI supplier review PDF. Inspect review subjects, supplier evidence and unresolved actions.
Material reviewed for this guide
- Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework 1.0National Institute of Standards and Technology · Voluntary framework or implementation guidance · Checked 2026-09-03
- AI Risk Management Framework PlaybookNational Institute of Standards and Technology · Voluntary framework or implementation guidance · Checked 2026-09-03
This guide is general operational information, not legal advice. Check the official material and obtain appropriate advice for circumstances outside the stated scope.