AI Use Policy Australia 2026: What Every Business Should Include
                     One Page of Rules: 
Making an AI Use Policy 
SWhatt Aiusctralikan businesses must include in 2026 approved tools, data rules, 
human oversight, accountability, and a record that staff signed on.
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What we'll cover
01 What an AI use policy actually is 02 Why every business needs 03 The eight clauses to include
one in 2026
04 The data rules that matter most 05 Human oversight and 06 Roles, acknowledgement and 
prohibited uses review
07 How to roll it out 08 Common mistakes to avoid 09 Where Sentrient fits
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What is an AI use policy?
IT  DOES FOUR JOBS
A short document setting out how people in your business 
may and may not use artificial intelligence tools. Also called 1 Names the approved tools
an AI acceptable use policy or workplace AI policy.
2 Defines data that must never be entered
It turns good intentions about responsible AI into 
something staff can actually act on.
3 Requires human review of output
1-2 Day 1
pages of plain rules a new starter can follow it 4 Makes clear who is accountable
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The AI is already in your business
of those bring their own 
75% of knowledge workers say they use AI at work 78% tools , often without the employer knowing
10 10 Dec 0
guardrails in the Voluntary AI 2026 - automated decision standalone AI laws - existing law 
Safety Standard disclosure begins already applies
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Why every Australian business needs one
THE PRACTICAL REASON THE REGULATORY REASON
Risk Existing law already applies
Staff can leak confidential or personal information No standalone AI law - the Privacy Act applies to how 
into a public AI tool in seconds, and a model can you use AI
produce a biased or confidently wrong output that The Voluntary AI Safety Standard sets 10 guardrails 
someone relies on. for responsible AI
From 10 December 2026, businesses covered by the 
Privacy Act must disclose automated decision-making 
that significantly affects people
Accountability does not shift to the vendor. 
It stays with your business. A written policy shows you are managing this on 
purpose, not by accident.
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The eight clauses to include
Purpose and scope Approved tools Data rules Human oversight
Why the policy exists and Which AI tools staff may What information must never be When output must be 
who it applies to, including use, and how a new tool entered into an AI tool checked by a person before 
contractors gets approved it is used or shared
Prohibited uses Accountability Breach and reporting Review
Decisions and tasks AI must Who owns the policy, and What to do if the policy is How often the policy is 
not be used for on its own who staff ask when unsure breached or something goes reviewed as tools and rules 
wrong change
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The data rules that matter most
If you write only one clause well, make it this one. The fastest way to cause harm with AI is to feed 
the wrong data into a tool that was never approved for it.
✕ ✕ ✕
Personal information about Confidential or commercially Anything covered by a 
customers or employees sensitive information contract or a law
The OAIC's guidance on commercially available AI products sets clear expectations here, and it ties directly to your 
obligations under the Privacy Act.
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Human oversight and prohibited uses
KEEP A PERSON IN THE LOOP
AI  MUST NOT BE THE DECISION-MAKER
AI produces a draft or suggestion
Hiring Dismissal
↓
A person checks it Credit Anything affecting 
a person's rights
↓
Only then is it relied on or sent externally
AI should assist decisions, not make the ones that matter on 
its own. From December 2026, if AI helps make a decision that 
significantly affects someone, you will need to disclose 
it and you will want a human clearly in the loop.
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Roles, acknowledgement and review
A policy nobody has accepted is not a control.
01 02 03
A named owner Recorded A set review cycle
acknowledgement
Someone who keeps the policy Because the tools and the rules change 
current as tools and rules change faster than most policies doEvery staff member reads and 
accepts it, and the record is kept 
so you can show it later
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How to roll it out
1 2 3 4 5
Keep it to a page Tell staff what it Collect and Pair it with short Review it on a 
or two in plain is for before you record training so set cycle and 
English, so publish it, then acknowledgemen people know whenever a 
people actually behave t from everyone, what the rules major new tool 
read it consistently including mean in practice arrives
with it contractors
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Common mistakes
! Writing a policy nobody acknowledges, so there is no evidence it was accepted
! Vague data rules that leave staff guessing what counts as sensitive
! No named owner, so the policy goes stale as tools change
! Treating it as IT-only, when the biggest risks are in HR, privacy and customer decisions
! Never reviewing it, so it describes tools nobody uses and misses the ones they do
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Where Sentrient fits
Writing the policy is the easy part. Making it accepted, trained and provable is the part Sentrient is built for.
Hold Train Prove
Holds the policy with individual Assigns and tracks the training Keeps the records retrievable when a 
acknowledgements, so you can show that goes with the policy, so the regulator, client or insurer asks
every staff member accepted it rules are understood in practice
Your AI policy lives alongside the rest of your governance, risk 
and compliance evidence, not in a separate file. Book a free demo
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One page, done properly
✓ Approved tools, named An AI use policy does not need to be 
long. It needs to be clear, accepted and 
kept current.
✓ Firm data rules
✓ A human in the loop Add the 10 December 2026 disclosure to 
your plan and you are ahead of most 
Australian businesses your size.
✓ A named owner
General information for Australian businesses, not legal advice. Confirm 
✓ A record that staff signed on current requirements with the OAIC, the Department of Industry, Science and 
Resources, or a qualified adviser. Correct as at August 2026.
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