Govern how your employees use artificial intelligence, without slowing productivity. Download our free AI usage policy template for companies (Word and PDF, ready to adapt) and discover, point by point, what an AI usage policy should contain.
An AI usage policy is an internal document that sets the rules for how employees use artificial intelligence: permitted and prohibited uses, data protection (GDPR), confidentiality and trade secrets, and human validation of outputs. It is not legally mandatory, but it is strongly recommended to roll out AI in companies without exposing the business (data leaks, errors, bias). You can start from our free template to download (editable Word, exportable to PDF) and adapt it to your organisation.
An AI usage policy is an internal frame of reference. It answers a question more and more employees are asking: “Am I allowed to use ChatGPT or another AI tool for this work, and within what limits?”. Without a frame, everyone improvises — some paste client data into a consumer tool, others avoid AI out of caution. The policy settles it: it sets clear, shared and owned rules.
For a business, the stakes are twofold: capturing the productivity gains of AI (drafting, summarising, support, analysis) while protecting what matters — client data, trade secrets, GDPR compliance and the quality of deliverables. A policy avoids both “shadow AI” (unmanaged use on the sly) and paralysis.
No, no law currently requires a specific AI policy. However, several existing obligations make it very useful: the GDPR (protection of personal data), confidentiality and trade-secret obligations, and the employer's responsibility for the tools it provides. Annexed to internal rules or circulated as a memo, the policy turns these principles into concrete rules for your teams.
A policy is not a brake on innovation: it is what lets your teams use AI with confidence, because the frame is clear.
Your employees know what is permitted, restricted or prohibited. No more AI on the sly (shadow AI) or self-censorship out of caution.
The policy forbids entering client or personal data into unmanaged tools and mandates EU-hosted tools.
Proprietary code, strategic data, NDAs: the policy protects what must never leave the company.
AI prepares and suggests, humans check and validate. No client deliverable goes out without review — avoiding errors and “hallucinations”.
The policy comes with awareness: good practice, data vigilance, detection of errors and bias.
Towards clients, partners and staff: showing a managed, responsible use of AI strengthens your brand.
Here are the nine sections we built into the downloadable template. You can reuse them as-is and adapt them to your company.
Who is covered (employees, managers, interns, contractors) and which tools are in scope — from consumer assistants to AI built into your business software.
The non-negotiable values: human responsibility, confidentiality, data protection, transparency, quality/verification, proportionality.
The most concrete part: what teams may do (draft, summarise, translate), what needs extra caution (client data), and what is strictly prohibited (pasting confidential data into a consumer tool).
Data minimisation, defined purpose, EU hosting, the role of the DPO. Company and client data is never used to train public models.
Not exposing trade secrets or proprietary code; checking authorship and rights over AI-assisted content before publishing.
Any output intended for a client, a partner or a decision is reviewed and validated by a competent employee before release.
The commitment to raise awareness and train teams in the responsible use of AI, and to support them with every new tool.
Appointing an AI lead (or committee) who oversees the policy, centralises questions and validates new tools with the DPO and IT security.
An annual review clause, plus every significant regulatory or technological change, to keep the policy alive and up to date.
A ready-to-use template, structured in 9 articles, with fields to fill in ([Company name], AI lead, date). Available in Word (editable) and PDF. Adapt it freely to your company, annex it to your internal rules or circulate it as a memo to your employees. Free, no sign-up.
This template is a sample document provided for information. It does not constitute legal advice: have it validated internally (DPO, legal, HR) before adoption.
A policy sets the rules, but it doesn't save time on its own. The real lever is to deploy a structured AI transition: automating repetitive tasks (emails, minutes, summaries, customer support) with custom AI agents, on a sovereign France / EU infrastructure, GDPR-compliant by default.
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