Home / AI Enablement / Governance
AI governance consulting in Kansas City
People are already using AI. Leadership is still deciding whether to say so.
kovac.ai helps organizations put guidelines, oversight and accountability around how they use AI. In most organizations, AI is already part of daily work, whether or not anyone approved it. Governance gives employees rules they can follow and gives leadership a way to manage the risk. We offer it as a standalone engagement or as part of our AI enablement program, for organizations across Kansas City and nationally.
Most organizations are already using AI
Employees usually start using AI before a policy exists. When there is no approved tool and no guidance, people turn to personal accounts and free tools to get their work done. Departments ask for different platforms, and AI features keep showing up inside software the organization already pays for. That is not a failure of any one person; the technology has simply moved faster than most policies. The risks are still there. Sensitive information ends up in tools nobody vetted, AI-generated work goes out without review and no one is clearly responsible.
Governance should help people use AI well
Some organizations respond to these risks by banning AI. Bans rarely stop people from using it; they make the use harder to see. Good governance spells out which tools are approved, what they can be used for and when a person needs to review the output. Employees get the confidence to use AI at work, and leadership gets visibility into how it is being used. Guidelines are set by leadership and applied department by department, since finance and marketing face very different risks.
What we build
Each governance program is built for the organization. Most include some combination of these six pieces.
Common starting points
- Employees are using unapproved AI tools. Start with a shadow AI audit and an acceptable use policy.
- Departments want different tools. Start with a vendor and tool review process and a governance committee to make the decisions.
- Some teams handle regulated or sensitive information. Start with risk tiering, so those teams have stricter review while others keep moving.
- AI-assisted work is going to customers. Start with human-in-the-loop standards.
- Leadership or the board wants to see the AI policy. Start with an acceptable use policy and a governance committee.
On its own or as part of enablement
Governance can be the whole engagement or one part of a larger one. Organizations that need guidelines in place quickly often start with governance alone. In the AI enablement program, governance is reviewed during the current state assessment, built into the roadmap and supported through change management; the assessment side is covered on Assessments & Roadmaps. Either way, the policies are designed to be updated as AI use grows.
Built by someone who started as a skeptic
Chris Kovac founded kovac.ai after 30 years in marketing and technology. He was skeptical of AI at first and tested it inside a business he ran before advising anyone else. When he began working with other organizations, a lack of governance was one of the first gaps he saw. That background keeps our governance work practical, human-first and written for the people who have to follow it.
Written in plain language, ready for legal review
Governance documents from kovac.ai are written for the business. Leaders and employees can read them without a technical glossary, and they reflect how the organization actually works. kovac.ai is not a law firm, so policies should be reviewed by the organization's legal counsel before they are adopted. That review goes faster when the policy is clear from the start.
Based in Kansas City
kovac.ai is based in Kansas City and builds AI governance programs for organizations across the metro, including Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Lee's Summit and the Northland. We also work with clients nationally, on site or remotely.
Frequently asked questions
What is AI governance?
AI governance is the set of policies, roles and processes that guide how an organization uses AI. It usually includes an acceptable use policy, a governance committee, risk tiering for use cases, a review process for vendors and tools and human-in-the-loop standards. Its purpose is to let people use AI safely and consistently.
What should an AI acceptable use policy include?
An AI acceptable use policy should list approved tools, define permitted and prohibited uses, set rules for sensitive and customer information, explain when AI use must be disclosed and name who to contact with questions. It should be short, specific and updated as tools change.
What is shadow AI?
Shadow AI is the use of AI tools at work without approval or oversight, such as employees using personal accounts for work tasks. It usually means people want AI tools the organization has not provided. The risks include exposed information, unreviewed output and no visibility into how AI is used.
Who should sit on an AI governance committee?
An AI governance committee typically includes an executive sponsor and leaders from operations, IT or security, HR, legal or compliance, plus the departments using AI most. It needs both the people who manage risk and the people who understand the work.
What is risk tiering for AI?
Risk tiering sorts AI use cases into levels based on data sensitivity, the effect on customers and employees, regulatory requirements and the cost of an error. Each level has its own review and approval requirements, so low-risk uses move quickly and high-risk uses get closer oversight.
What does human-in-the-loop mean?
Human-in-the-loop means a person reviews, approves or corrects AI output before it is used. HITL standards define where that review is required and how thorough it must be, usually based on the risk level of the use case.
How should a company evaluate AI vendors and tools?
A company should review how an AI vendor handles and stores data, whether customer data is used to train models, what security controls are in place, how the tool fits existing systems and what it costs. The same review should apply to AI features added to software already in use.
Does a midsize company need AI governance?
Yes. In midsize companies, employees often use AI well before any formal policy exists. Governance does not have to be complicated; an acceptable use policy, a small committee and simple risk levels address most of the exposure.
Can AI governance be done without a full enablement program?
Yes. kovac.ai offers AI governance as a standalone engagement or as part of its AI enablement program. Many organizations start with governance and later add an assessment, roadmap and training.
Does kovac.ai provide legal advice?
No. kovac.ai is not a law firm. Its governance policies are written for business use and should be reviewed by the organization's legal counsel before adoption.
Start with a conversation
The first step is a conversation about how AI is being used today and where the gaps are. Fill out the form below, and we will follow up to find a time.