Who Should Write the Rules

Billions have been invested in AI, yet most companies report little to no measurable productivity gains. One reason: while corporate leaders set policies, employees on the ground often struggle to translate those rules into practical, daily workflows.

To dig deeper, we surveyed 348 professionals across multiple age ranges and a wide range of industries. Respondents included team members, managers, and leaders. The survey explored a central question: who should make the rules for AI use, and how do those rules actually function in the workplace?

The attached dataset breaks down responses by question and contributor group, offering insight into how different roles view AI governance. The results highlight the tension between top-down policies and team-level realities—and point toward a more balanced model where corporate standards are paired with team-defined rules.

You can explore the full data [attached here].

The following questions were posed to survey participants:

Question 1:

Corporate vs. Team Role: Corporate headquarters should set the overall AI standards, but individual teams should define their own rules within those standards.

Question 2:

Best Positioned to Govern: Who is best positioned to create effective AI usage rules for day-to-day work?

Question 3:

Relevance of Corporate Rules: Corporate-level AI rules reflect the realities of my team's work.

Question 4:

Impact of Team Rules: Allowing teams to set their own AI rules will increase both adoption and responsible use.