AI Policy Template: A Free, Editable Structure for 2026

An AI policy template gives you a starting structure so you are not staring at a blank page. The risk with any template is that it stays generic: a document you paste your logo onto and file away, without the specifics that make staff actually follow it. Use the structure below as a skeleton, then tailor each section to how your team really works. The sections that matter most are the data rules and the approved-tools list.

Section 1: scope and purpose

State who the policy applies to (employees, contractors, anyone acting for the organisation) and what counts as an AI tool: standalone assistants, AI features inside other software, and anything that sends your data to a third-party model. Add one line on why the policy exists, so people understand it protects the business and them, not just a compliance box.

Section 2: approved tools and tiers

This is the section staff will actually reference. List the AI tools that are approved and, critically, at what tier (for example 'ChatGPT Team, not personal free or Plus accounts'). Name what is not approved for work. Link to a process for requesting a new tool. An approved-tools list that names tiers prevents the most common failure, which is staff using a personal consumer account for company data.

Section 3: data rules

The heart of the policy. Be concrete: 'do not paste customer names, email addresses, financial data, source code, or unreleased plans into any AI tool that is not on the approved list.' Concrete beats abstract; 'do not process personal data' is too vague for a busy employee to apply. Add a stricter rule for regulated data if you handle health, legal, or financial information.

Section 4: review, transparency, owner, and attestation

Require human review of AI output before it goes to a customer or informs an important decision. Say when staff must disclose AI involvement. Name one owner who approves tools and answers questions. Finally, record that staff have read and accepted the policy, which is what evidences the EU AI Act's AI-literacy duty and satisfies SOC 2 auditors. Rather than fill this template in by hand, ModelCharter's free policy generator asks about your company type, data sensitivity, and regulatory context and produces a tailored, attestation-ready policy in minutes.