DESIGNING AI GOVERNANCE FOR EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE AI USE IN ORGANIZATIONS

Overview

Organizations are rapidly deploying AI, yet many lack the governance mechanisms needed to ensure its responsible and effective use. Generative AI has rapidly gained traction in organizations, and the next wave of Agentic AI is already emerging. In this context, AI governance plays a critical role in ensuring that organizations use AI in an effective and responsible manner. This includes enabling organizations to create business value, manage risks, optimize resources, and avoid negative ethical and societal impacts.

However, AI governance presents several important challenges. First, while traditional governance approaches are often reactive and restrictive, AI governance requires organizations to be proactive and agile. Second, whereas corporate and IT governance typically rely on organizational structures and processes, AI governance also involves a strong technical component, requiring integration with AI systems and models. Third, AI governance does not operate in isolation but must be aligned with broader governance domains such as corporate governance and IT governance, as well as more specialized domains including data governance and cybersecurity governance.

In this project, you will examine the state of the art in AI governance and focus on one of the challenges outlined above, depending on your interests and background. The outcome of the project will be a framework or set of guidelines to support the design of AI governance mechanisms in organizations, possible in collaboration with an interested organization.

This topic is highly interdisciplinary, spanning information systems, computer science, engineering, management, and law. The project is not currently attached to a funded research project.

Research engagement

The project will involve a review of both academic and industry literature on AI governance. Where possible, the project may also involve engagement with an industry partner, allowing the student to explore real-world applications and challenges of AI governance in organizational settings.

Research activities

In this project, you can expect to be involved in the following activities:

• Reviewing academic and industry literature on AI governance, including frameworks, standards, and emerging practices
• Undertaking activities related to a selected challenge, such as conducting empirical research on existing AI systems and models or analysing organizational governance practices
• Collaborating with an interested organization, where available, to understand practical governance challenges and solutions
• Developing and synthesizing frameworks or guidelines for AI governance by integrating insights from literature and (where applicable) empirical findings

Research skills

The skills students will gain from this experience:

• Literature review and critical analysis of AI governance research and industry practices
• Analytical and problem-solving skills for identifying and addressing governance challenges
• Design and development skills to create an AI governance framework or guidelines
• Interdisciplinary thinking, integrating perspectives across IS, technology, and management
• Communication and professional skills for presenting research insights and recommendations

Outcomes

The main outcomes of this project are:

1. A state-of-the-art synthesis of AI governance, covering key frameworks, standards, and practices from academic and industry sources
2. An AI governance framework and/or set of guidelines to support organizations in the effective and responsible use of AI

Skills and experience

The candidate should have:

• A solid understanding of Information Systems or a related discipline (e.g., Management or Computer Science)
• A basic understanding of AI concepts and technologies
• Foundational research skills, including familiarity with literature review methods and, where relevant, qualitative methods such as interviewing

Start date

2 November, 2026

End date

19 February, 2027

Location

QUT GP Campus

Additional information

Keywords

• Artificial Intelligence
• Generative AI
• Agentic AI
• Governance
• Organization
• Enterprise
• Cybersecurity
• AI risk
• AI governance
• AI
• GenAI

Contact

Erwin Fielt

0408980316

e.fielt@qut.edu.au