The Looming Board Challenge: Oversight Of Artificial Intelligence

Oversight of AI is the board's job, regardless of the subject matter complexity. One of the most consequential challenges confronting corporate governance in the near term will be its ability to exercise informed oversight over the application of artificial intelligence ("AI") within its organization. It will be a challenge that will arise regardless of the industry sector in which the company operates, and regardless of how it applies AI in that operation. The essence of the challenge is the rapidly emerging conflict between the perceived societal and commercial benefits arising from AI implementation, and the perceived societal and institutional risks arising from its use. The need to address the challenge is urgent; the competing interests of benefit and risk are hurtling at each other at hypersonic speed.