The increasing political, legal, scientific and media focus on the risks of artificial intelligence ("AI") provides a new opportunity for the chief legal officer to support the role of corporate governance.  Indeed, a series of recent developments focusing on the risks of AI have also added a sense of urgency to clarifying the board's oversight obligations.

In the absence of both any coordinated system of AI regulation, and any recognized standards for board oversight of AI implementation, corporate boards are somewhat "driving blind" in their efforts to balance the promise of AI with growing concerns for its risks.  They are being called upon to address the ethical, accuracy, political, economic, personal health and even criminal implications of its use, without any reliable template on how to do so.

The CLO, as the board's primary legal advisor, is the logical corporate officer to help the board identify its role in the AI roll-out.  This will require a careful evaluation of AI applications that project "red lights," "yellow lights" and "green lights" of risk and reward to the board-without the benefit of case law, statutes or "best practices."