Artificial intelligence is transforming not only software, but also decision-making, responsibilities, and leadership processes. As a result, AI governance has become a key issue for executive leadership. In a new executive briefing with Murat Ham, Dr. Alexander Deicke of K11 Consulting explains how companies can use AI in a controlled manner and the role that clear lines of responsibility play in this process.
The focus is on a question that, in many companies, is still surprisingly open-ended: Who is actually responsible for ensuring that the AI systems in use are identified, evaluated, and managed in a transparent manner?
AI applications are often implemented in a decentralized manner. Business units use chatbots, translation systems, analytics tools, or AI features within existing software. The IT department can manage access and technical security. However, it cannot decide on its own which business risks are acceptable, which data may be processed, or when human oversight is necessary.
AI governance therefore brings together senior management, IT, legal, data protection, information security, compliance, and business units. It establishes rules regarding which AI may be used, who approves applications, and how decisions are documented.
After all, an AI system doesn't become a management responsibility simply because it looks particularly futuristic. It becomes a management responsibility as soon as it begins to influence the company.
Murat Ham works at the intersection of strategic intelligence, leadership, and artificial intelligence. His services are aimed in particular at executives, board members, supervisory board members, and companies that do not wish to view technological changes in isolation.
His areas of expertise include AI management audits, executive coaching, and boardroom communication. This involves not only the implementation of new technologies, but also their strategic integration: What decisions need to be made? Where do organizational risks arise? And how can technological complexity be translated into a viable course of action for the company?
The Executive Briefings address these questions through conversations with experts from various disciplines. The goal is not to provide yet another collection of general AI predictions, but rather to offer insights that are practical and useful for decision-makers.
In a conversation with Murat Ham, Dr. Alexander Deicke explains why the greatest threat to small and medium-sized businesses often does not come from spectacular, high-risk systems. The invisible, everyday use of AI is more critical: AI is already in use, but its use is not fully tracked.
The briefing covers, among other things:
This also avoids an important linguistic shortcoming: The AI Act does not generally require every company to appoint an AI officer. However, such a role can be extremely helpful in bringing together inventory, risk assessment, policies, training, and documentation.
To get started, Dr. Alexander Deicke recommends a concise six-step audit. This audit covers the AI applications actually in use, their intended purpose, the data processed, the company’s role, potential risks, and the necessary controls and documentation.
The result should not be a lengthy report that ends up sitting in a folder, waiting for better times. What is needed is a practical overview: Which applications have been approved, which may be used only under certain conditions, and where is further clarification needed?
The full executive briefing, “AI Governance as a Leadership Task,” featuring Dr. Alexander Deicke and Murat Ham, demonstrates how individual assessments can give rise to a manageable governance structure.
AI governance combines regulatory requirements with strategic leadership. The executive briefing by Murat Ham and Dr. Alexander Deicke makes it clear that the controlled use of AI cannot be delegated solely to IT or to a single compliance function.
Companies need transparency, clear lines of responsibility, and sound decision-making. Only then will the mere use of AI evolve into a responsibly managed transformation.