New AI tools are appearing almost every week, promising faster workflows, better content, smarter analysis and less admin.
For business leaders, the challenge is no longer whether employees will use AI. It is deciding which tools are appropriate, what they should be used for and how they can be introduced without creating unnecessary risk.
Approving a new platform does not need to become a lengthy technical exercise. A simple review process can help your business make informed decisions while still allowing teams to explore useful technology.
Here are seven questions to ask before approving a new AI tool.
Q1. What business problem will this tool solve?
Start with the purpose.
Is the tool being introduced to reduce repetitive admin, improve customer service, analyse information or help staff produce content more efficiently?
A clear use case makes it easier to assess whether the potential value justifies the cost and risk. It also prevents businesses from collecting overlapping tools that perform similar functions without a clear owner or purpose.
The question should not be, “Is this tool impressive?”
It should be, “What will this help us do better?”
Q2. What information will users enter into it?
Consider what staff may type, upload, paste or connect to the tool.
This could include:
- Customer or employee information
- Financial records
- Contracts and legal documents
- Internal reports
- Intellectual property
- Passwords, credentials or system information
A tool used only for general brainstorming presents a different level of risk from one being used to review customer records or confidential business documents.
Employees also need clear guidance about what information is permitted and what must never be entered.
Q3. Where is the data stored and how long is it retained?
Once information is entered into an AI platform, where does it go?
Businesses should understand where the provider stores data, how long it is retained and whether it can be permanently deleted. It is also worth checking whether the provider uses third-party infrastructure or transfers information between locations.
These details are not always obvious from the tool itself. They may be contained in the provider’s privacy policy, terms of service or security documentation.
If the answers are difficult to find, that is worth noting as part of the approval decision.
Q4. Will the provider use your data to train its models?
Some AI providers may use prompts, uploaded files or user interactions to improve their systems. Others provide settings or business plans that prevent customer information from being used for model training.
Before approving a tool, confirm:
- Whether business data is used for training
- Whether this can be switched off
- Whether different rules apply to free and paid accounts
- Who is responsible for checking the settings
Staff should not assume that every AI platform handles information in the same way.
Q5. Who will have access to the tool and its data?
Approval should not automatically mean access for everyone.
Decide which roles genuinely need the tool, who will manage the account and who is responsible for reviewing access over time.
This is particularly important when employees change roles or leave the business. AI platforms, shared accounts, agents and automated workflows should be included in normal onboarding and offboarding procedures.
Without clear ownership, tools can remain active long after their original purpose has ended.
Q6. Can the tool connect to other business systems?
An AI tool may initially appear to be a standalone application, but many platforms can connect to email, calendars, cloud storage, customer databases and project management systems.
These integrations can make the tool more useful, but they also increase the amount of information it can access.
Before enabling a connection, ask what permissions the tool needs, whether those permissions are broader than necessary and how its activity will be monitored.
The more systems an AI tool can reach, the more carefully it should be reviewed.
Q7. What happens if the tool makes a mistake or is compromised?
No AI tool is completely reliable.
Consider what could happen if it produces incorrect information, exposes sensitive data, completes the wrong action or is accessed by an unauthorised person.
Businesses should decide:
- When human review is required
- How errors will be reported
- Who can disable the tool or remove access
- Whether its actions can be reversed
- How an incident will be investigated
For higher-risk uses, the business may need stronger controls before the tool is approved.
Approving AI without slowing down innovation
AI governance is not about blocking every new tool. It is about creating a consistent way to decide what is suitable for the business.
A short approval checklist, a central AI tool register and clear rules for staff can provide visibility without adding unnecessary complexity.
The goal is simple: understand what the tool does, what it can access and who is responsible for it before it becomes part of everyday work.
IQPC can help you build a practical approval process that supports innovation without leaving governance behind.
