An AI policy for small teams: one page that people will actually read
A useful AI policy is short enough to remember and specific enough to use on a Tuesday afternoon. Here is a one-page structure that works for growing teams.
By the Halden editorial team
Why one page
Long policies are signed, then ignored.
Most small teams do not have a governance problem. They have a clarity problem: people are unsure which tools are approved, what information may be pasted into them, and who to ask when something feels off.
A one-page policy forces choices. If a rule cannot fit on the page, it is probably not yet clear enough to follow in the moment.
The structure
Five short blocks cover most of what teams need.
Keep each block to a few lines, written in plain language.
- Purpose: why the organization uses AI and what it hopes to improve.
- Approved tools: the short list, with a named owner for each.
- Information rules: what may never be entered, what needs care, what is fine.
- Review rule: which outputs need a human check before they leave the team.
- Questions: one person or channel, and how quickly they will answer.
Make it usable
Use examples, not abstractions.
“Do not share confidential information” is easy to agree with and hard to apply. “Do not paste client contracts, pricing models or personal data into any tool that is not on the approved list” is something a person can act on.
Add two or three real examples from your own work. Examples teach faster than principles, and they show people the boundary rather than describing it.
Keep it alive
A policy is a habit, not a document.
Put the page where work happens: in the onboarding pack, the team handbook and the channel where people ask questions. Ask managers to mention it in team meetings when a relevant situation comes up.
Review it quarterly. Note which questions people asked, which rules were unclear and which tools were added, then update the page. A policy that changes with the work earns trust.
A next step
Turn this into a decision for your organization.
Explore how AI Advisory works with leaders and teams, or start with a short reflection on where you are today.