Navigating AI responsibly: Balancing innovation, security and ethics | Baker Tilly
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Navigating AI responsibly: Balancing innovation, security and ethics
Feb. 19, 2025 · Authored by Mike Cullen, Nathan Olson
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s here, reshaping the way organizations operate. While excitement around new technology often comes with inflated expectations, AI is starting to prove its value by driving efficiency, automation and smarter decision-making.
Organizations are already integrating AI into their workflows to streamline repetitive tasks, often without formal guidance. Without a clear strategy, this grassroots adoption can introduce governance and security risks. But with the appropriate AI governance framework, AI can unlock meaningful improvements in productivity, customer experience and operational performance. The question isn’t whether to embrace AI, it’s how to do so responsibly.
The realities of leveraging AI
AI adoption is still in its early stages for many organizations, often limited to specific departments or use cases without formal governance or controls. While this approach can be effective in small-scale settings, it relies heavily on individuals to use AI responsibly. As organizations mature, they begin to establish AI governance frameworks, including data governance, oversight committees and budget reviews, to ensure better accountability. In more advanced stages, integrating AI into core business processes requires strong organizational preparedness and governance to minimize risks and maximize impact.
Ethical concerns in AI: Addressing bias
AI systems can unintentionally perpetuate biases, as seen in Amazon's 2018 AI recruiting tool [1], which favored male candidates due to biased training data, and a 2019 study showing racial bias [2] in a hospital AI system that misjudged the health of Black patients based on socioeconomic factors. These examples highlight the need to carefully assess training data to avoid negative consequences.
A key case, Project Maven [3], aimed to analyze drone footage using AI but faced issues like inconsistent data labeling and security concerns, leading to inefficiencies and project delays. These challenges emphasize the importance of strong governance and ethical oversight in AI projects to mitigate risks and ensure responsible implementation.
Mitigating cybersecurity challenges in AI
AI presents significant cybersecurity risks that organizations must address. According to the World Economic Forum's 2024 survey [4], AI-generated misinformation and disinformation have become top concerns along with cyber-attacks. Additional AI risks include data privacy and unauthorized access, inaccuracies in AI-generated data, and regulatory non-compliance.
AI can amplify privacy and cybersecurity issues when misuse exposes sensitive data, potentially bypassing existing safeguards. Inaccurate AI outputs can lead to misinformation being presented as fact, making it essential to review AI-generated data for accuracy before use. Additionally, the use of AI must comply with applicable laws and regulations, both domestic and international, to avoid legal risks.
To mitigate these risks, organizations can implement measures such as monitoring platforms for unauthorized access, setting up real-time monitoring systems and conducting regular audits. By ensuring proper governance and human oversight, organizations can protect sensitive data and reduce the likelihood of security incidents or data breaches.
Improving AI literacy: A key step in reducing security risks
AI literacy is crucial in reducing cybersecurity risks within organizations and helping employees use it responsibly. For example, while some may try to anonymize sensitive data by replacing names with generic terms, AI can still infer identities, making such workarounds ineffective.
To promote better AI literacy, organizations can implement training programs, host demonstrations and provide resources tailored to specific audiences. Leadership champions who understand both the benefits and risks of AI are essential for guiding responsible use. Additionally, establishing feedback mechanisms ensures employees have access to the support they need, helping prevent misuse and reinforcing cybersecurity policies.
Regulatory fragmentation and state-level efforts
AI governance means navigating a fragmented regulatory landscape, with varied approaches at national, state and local levels. Changes in administration at the federal level will influence how AI regulations evolve. Key principles like transparency, accountability and safety are central to ongoing efforts, with international initiatives like the European Union's AI Act [5] serving as a reference point.
In the absence of clear federal laws, states like California, Colorado and Illinois are taking the lead. California has proposed state-specific AI regulations, while Colorado’s upcoming Artificial Intelligence Act [6] (effective January 2026) will focus on transparency and risk management for tech developers and users. Illinois is addressing AI's role in human resources, aiming to regulate automated decision-making in recruitment and promotions to prevent bias and inaccuracies.
AI governance in industry-specific sectors
The insurance industry has seen some of the earliest clear regulations regarding AI, particularly around automated decision-making for coverage and claims. Concerns about bias and inaccuracies in generative AI are prompting the sector to emphasize human involvement in decision-making to ensure fairness and accuracy. These regulations will shape AI deployment across industries, especially in fields that deal with high-stakes decisions.
As AI regulations continue to develop, organizations must stay informed about the evolving legal landscape and adapt their governance practices accordingly. The increasing focus on AI and data governance underscores the importance of compliance and responsible AI use.
Adoption strategies for effective AI governance
Successfully implementing AI governance begins with understanding your organization's readiness and aligning AI adoption with your broader strategic goals. It's not just about deploying the latest AI technologies, but ensuring they contribute to your objectives—whether that's improving efficiency, reducing costs or enhancing customer experiences.
Key to this is assessing the AI literacy of your teams. As new tools are introduced, it's essential to have clear policies and processes that help employees understand how to properly use AI in their day-to-day responsibilities. This ensures they can adopt these technologies effectively and within the framework of your governance.
An organizational change management strategy is crucial to ensure that AI tools are integrated effectively and are used to their full potential. This strategy will help employees harness the power of AI to drive value across the organization, fostering a culture of responsible and effective AI usage.
AI governance: Building a structured framework
Establishing a solid AI governance framework requires a balance between strategic vision and practical application. Start by crafting a clear AI strategy aligned with your organization’s goals. While the pace of technological change means this strategy should remain flexible, it must guide decision-making and the prioritization of AI initiatives that deliver real business value.
Update existing policies, particularly those related to data privacy and cybersecurity, to reflect AI use cases and ensure compliance with established protocols. This will help address the unique risks that come with implementing AI and safeguard sensitive information.
Having a clear list of AI projects and a cross-functional team to oversee them is also vital. A steering committee, involving key stakeholders from business, legal, risk and compliance departments, can help drive your AI strategy and ensure its alignment with the organization's broader objectives.
As AI technologies evolve, it’s crucial to have consistent processes in place to monitor and manage these tools. This will help ensure any challenges are swiftly addressed before they become larger issues, maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of your AI systems.
How we can help
We specialize in helping organizations navigate the complexities of AI adoption, from strategy development to risk mitigation. Our digital solutions team offers tailored solutions to integrate AI responsibly, ensuring it aligns with your business goals while minimizing security and governance risks.
We can assist in developing comprehensive AI governance frameworks, providing training to improve AI literacy and ensuring compliance with emerging regulations. Our professionals work alongside your teams to establish best practices, build ethical AI systems and guide you through the evolving regulatory landscape. With our support, you can harness AI’s full potential while maintaining transparency, accountability and compliance.
