Plain-English Explainers on AI Governance for UK SMEs
Which rules actually apply to you. How the UK government's own AI framework works. What Article 22 means for HR and finance teams. How to start an ISO 42001 journey. And the simple policy checklist every SME should have today.
The CMDB never failed as a concept. It failed in implementation. Now AI raises the stakes dramatically. A founder perspective on configuration data, service relationships, and why getting this right matters more than ever.
01The plain-English guide to the two buckets: actual UK legal duties (UK GDPR, DUAA Article 22, Equality Act, sector regulators) versus voluntary best-practice frameworks (ISO 42001, EU AI Act as benchmark, and the ground mapped by DSIT's draft AIME).
02Staff are using capable free AI tools on personal devices, often to avoid clunky or slow sanctioned alternatives. A ban drives it underground. The proportionate response is visibility, a genuinely useful sanctioned route, training, and plain-English rules.
03The government shelved AIME in February 2026. The governance need it mapped hasn't gone anywhere. Here is what the consultation response actually said, what it means for your business, and what we recommend instead.
04The Data (Use & Access) Act 2025 reformed Article 22 of UK GDPR, the rules on automated decisions about people. The field guide for HR, credit, insurance and dynamic-pricing teams.
05The only certifiable international AI-management-system standard. Fewer than 100 organisations are certified globally. Why that scarcity makes it a powerful trust signal, and what the journey looks like.
06Your team is already using ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot. You almost certainly don't have a policy. The lightweight starter every UK SME should have in place, done in a fortnight.
07The world's first comprehensive AI law, updated July 2026: the Digital Omnibus deferred the high-risk deadline to December 2027 and added a new prohibition on AI-generated intimate imagery. Full timeline, risk-tier obligations, and a seven-question FAQ for UK businesses.
08A plain-English guide to ServiceNow's command centre for governing AI across the platform: inventory, oversight, guardrails and compliance.
09Move governance, risk and compliance off spreadsheets and onto the Now Platform: policy, risk, audit and continuous control monitoring.
10Take ITSM discipline beyond IT, to HR, finance and operations: one front door, a service catalogue, workflow and SLAs.
11Software amplifies whatever process you give it. Why technology fails on poor process, and how re-engineering fixes it before you automate.
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