How boards are using AI today

For boards of directors, AI is slowly moving from an agenda item to a boardroom tool. But new survey findings show that boardroom AI use is largely new, uneven, and very much still maturing. Nearly half of public companies have not formally enabled or standardized AI or GenAI for board activities, and the majority of respondents are unsure whether their directors are using advanced tech tools at all.

For those that have started experimenting, board AI use tends to focus on practical applications—like analyzing reports, summarizing materials, preparing for discussions, and identifying key meeting topics. What’s interesting is that while AI use in the boardroom is gaining traction for admin-adjacent tasks, formal governance structures haven’t caught up. Our survey results show that most organizations lack board-specific policies, and the board’s use of AI remains primarily applied to administrative and analytical tasks.

This edition of Board Practices Quarterly draws on responses from 92 public companies and 14 private companies to map out where boards stand today. Findings highlight sizable gaps in boardroom AI use while also showing promising efforts. The takeaway? Boards are at an inflection point. AI can enhance governance effectiveness and decision-making, but only if directors and management establish clear guardrails, build competence confidence, and preserve the judgment and accountability that defines strong oversight.

Highlights

• Board adoption of AI/GenAI remains early-stage and inconsistent. Many companies have not formally enabled or standardized AI/GenAI for board activities, with nearly half of public companies not expressly supporting its use. Respondents overall are “unsure” whether their boards use AI/GenAI for board activity, and known adoption and use cases vary across organizations.
• Current use and capability-building efforts are focused on practical applications and education. Boards that use AI/GenAI primarily apply it to administrative and analytical tasks such as reviewing reports, summarizing materials, preparing questions, and identifying discussion topics. Respondents report that their organizations are more commonly enhancing AI capability through management briefings and director education than through formal governance mechanisms, recruitment efforts, or board evaluation processes.
• Policies, guidance, and governance practices are still developing. Most respondents reported a lack of board-specific AI policies or governance practices. Where policies exist, they tend to focus on security, confidentiality, acceptable use, legal considerations, and recordkeeping.