BREAKING NEWS: From AI ministers to robo directors, the governance race is on. Has your board even started the conversation? Earlier this week, Albania’s Prime Minuster introduced Diella, the world’s first AI cabinet minister, responsible for public procurement and tackling corruption. Just months ago she was a virtual assistant. Today she’s at the cabinet table.
At the same time, boards are experimenting too:
• Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company uses Aiden Insight, an AI observer offering real-time risk insights.
• The Real Estate Institute of NSW has Alice Ing, a ChatGPT-based adviser trained on governance codes.
• And here in New Zealand, I’ve spoken with a client exploring a robo-director for their own board.
Contrast that with Deloitte’s global Boardroom survey earlier this year: 31% of boards still don’t have AI on the agenda, down from 45% last year, but still a third unprepared for a technology already reshaping leadership.
The lesson is simple: AI is not waiting for boards to catch up.
What your board should do now:
1. Strategy: Put AI formally on the agenda - tie it to long-term value creation.
2. Risk & opportunity: Define your appetite for AI risks, and weigh the cost of doing nothing.
3. Governance structure: Clarify who owns oversight, and whether you need a subcommittee or new expertise.
4. Culture & capability: Build AI fluency and encourage open debate. Fill capability gaps through training or recruitment.
5. Stakeholder & ethics: Be transparent. Address bias, fairness, and accountability.
AI already has a seat in government cabinets. It’s already advising boards. The real risk isn’t the robot in the room, it’s a board that never started the AI conversation.
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