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All Things AI .
Categories: AI in Schools - AI in Government - Train for AI - AI Consulting Services - Generative AI - AI Literacy - AI Ethics
Ghosts in the Machine: Real Scares from the AI Front
AI may be the productivity potion of our time, but left unchecked, it’s also summoning real-world horror stories. Here are four of 2025’s spookiest AI tales—every one true—and how smart governance can keep you from becoming the next cautionary headline.
When Growth Is More Important Than Safeguards: The Real Cost for Youth in the AI Era
In the rush to monetize generative AI tools, something critical is being sidelined: the welfare of young people. When Sam Altman announced a new direction for OpenAI’s next-generation system — ChatGPT‑5 (and the related move toward more “friend-like” and adult-oriented chat experiences) — the company claimed we now have “better tools” to make these experiences safe. But as someone who works daily with students and educators navigating the realities of AI in the classroom and at home, I’m profoundly unconvinced. My issue isn’t porn, or whether someone dresses up the feature as just “adult content.” My issue is that we haven’t really protected our young people yet, nor have we sufficiently educated broad populations about how GenAI works, what information it collects, and how it shapes relationships, emotions, and behaviors.
Request for Collaboration: Help Shape the AI & Data Safety Shield for Schools
Across the country, school leaders are navigating a growing paradox: AI is becoming part of classrooms, communications, and district operations — but the systems that keep students safe haven’t caught up. As part of my work in the EdSAFE AI Catalyst Fellowship, I’m studying this challenge through a research project called the AI & Data Safety Shield for Schools. The EdSAFE AI Catalyst Fellowship is a national program that supports applied research and innovation to advance ethical, transparent, and safe AI in education. Each Fellow explores a Problem of Practice—a real-world challenge that, if solved, could help schools use AI responsibly and equitably.
3 Ways AI Governance Actually Speeds You Up (Not Slows You Down)
Budget Season is upon us. If you’re sitting down with 2026 numbers, you already know the pressure:
Cut costs where you can.
Find growth where you must.
Show the board a clear return on every line item.
Here’s the mistake too many teams will make in next year’s budgets: They’ll throw money at AI pilots or vendor contracts without investing in governance.It feels faster in the short term. But it costs more in the long run.Here’s why governance is not just risk management — it’s the thing that actually makes AI adoption faster, safer, and budget-friendly.
America’s AI Action Plan: What’s in It, Why It Matters, and Where the Risks Are
This article sets out to inform the reader about the AI Action Plan without opinion or hype. Let’s dig in: On 23 July 2025, the White House released Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan, a 28-page roadmap with more than 90 federal actions grouped under three pillars: Accelerate AI Innovation, Build American AI Infrastructure, and Lead in International AI Diplomacy & Security. The plan rescinds the 2023 AI Bill of Rights, rewrites pieces of the NIST AI Risk-Management Framework, and leans on January’s Executive Order 14179 (“Removing Barriers to American Leadership in AI”). If fully funded and executed, the plan would reshape everything from K-12 procurement rules to the way cities permit data-center construction.
The First AI Incident in Your Organization Won’t Be a Big One. That’s the Problem.
Your first AI incident won’t be big. But it will be revealing. It will expose the cracks in your processes, the ambiguity in your policies, and the reality of how your team uses AI. If you wait for a significant event before acting, you’ll already be behind. Building responsible AI systems doesn’t start with compliance. It begins with clarity and a willingness to take the first step before the incident occurs.
“HIPAA doesn’t apply to public schools.” That statement is technically correct, and dangerously misleading.
For years, the education sector has operated on the belief that FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is the only law that matters when it comes to student data. And for much of the traditional classroom environment, that’s true. But the moment health-related services intersect with educational technology—whether through telehealth platforms, mental health apps, or digital IEP tools the ground shifts. Suddenly, the boundary between FERPA and HIPAA isn’t just academic. It’s operational, legal, and reputational.
Schools Don’t Just Buy Software. They Buy Trust.
The best product doesn’t always win. In fact, in K–12, it often doesn’t. You can have the cleanest UI, the sharpest onboarding flow, and the most impressive AI feature set in your category AND still get dropped in procurement. Not because of price. Not because of a competitor’s edge. But because the District couldn’t say yes with confidence. They couldn’t explain your AI use to their superintendent. They couldn’t get your DPA past legal in under six weeks. They couldn’t bet their district’s reputation on a product that might be compliant. And so, they passed. Not because they didn’t like you but because you didn’t feel safe enough to approve. In K–12, Trust Isn’t the Last Thing. It’s the First.
Your AI Feature Isn’t the Problem. The Trust Gap Is.
AI is everywhere in EdTech—automated feedback, adaptive learning paths, grading support, and content generation. If you’re building smart, AI-powered tools for K–12, you’re in the right race. But many vendors hit the same wall: enthusiastic interest from district leaders, then a long stall… or silence. The reason? Your product is technically impressive, but governance blind.
Shadow AI Is Already Happening And It’s a Governance Problem, Not a People Problem
If you think your workforce is calmly waiting for an “official AI rollout,” think again. From sales decks to code snippets, generative tools are already woven into daily workflows—only most of that activity is invisible to leadership.
From Pilot to Performance: Turning AI Pilot Programs into Scalable Strategy
Discover why most AI pilot programs stall and how governance turns early wins into enterprise value: practical steps, stats, and next actions.
What Is AI Governance Anyway?
AI governance is the set of policies, processes, roles, and guardrails that ensure your organization adopts AI:
Responsibly
Strategically
Aligned with business objectives
In compliance with laws and values
It’s not just about risk mitigation. It’s about decision-making.
Who Owns AI in Your Organization? Why a Lack of Ownership Is Slowing You Down
You don’t need to reorganize your entire company. You just need to create clarity about roles, responsibilities, and who’s leading the charge. Explore how AI governance frameworks help leadership teams get aligned without adding more complexity. Someone has to own it. Let’s make sure it’s done right.
How Can We Automate Repetitive Tasks?
Here’s what typically happens in organizations trying to automate tasks without clear structure:
Someone floats an idea—“let’s automate our customer follow-ups.”
Initial excitement grows.
But soon, debates surface: Which follow-ups exactly? Which tools? Do we buy software or build internally? Who owns this?
Multiple meetings pass, but clarity never comes.
Eventually, everyone quietly moves on to something easier, leaving the idea stuck in limbo.
Sound familiar?
What AI Tools Should We Use to Improve Efficiency?
You’re not short on AI tool options. You’re short on clarity. If choosing tools to improve efficiency feels overwhelming, unclear, and risky, this blog explores why. And spoiler: it’s not about the tech—it’s about your structure which we at AI Governance Group can provide.
Why Does Good AI Governance Advice Feel Scarce When You Need It Most?
You want clear guidance on AI—but finding trustworthy advice feels harder than ever.This blog explores why good AI advice is so elusive, and why even the best guidance often fails without internal alignment.
AI Supercycle: If Tech Is Mature, Why Are Human Impacts Just Getting Started?
Explore how the AI technology supercycle is just getting started from a human perspective. While AI capabilities rapidly advance, real impacts on daily life, work, and society remain in their infancy. Discover what's next for AI adoption, human adaptability, workforce evolution, and the future of AI governance.
The Future of Work Starts Here: Navigating AI Ethics in K–12 Education
Generative AI is already transforming how students learn, how teachers teach, and how schools operate. From AI-powered tutoring tools to real-time feedback and personalized content creation, the integration of AI in education is accelerating. But along with this transformation comes a pressing need to confront the ethical questions AI raises, especially as the classroom increasingly becomes the training ground for the future of work.
Top 6 Employee Pain Points in AI Adoption (and How to Solve Them)
Implementing AI at the organizational level often gets significant attention, but the true battle happens at the individual level. As organizations strive to harness AI's potential, it’s essential to understand and address the personal challenges employees face when integrating AI into their daily workflows. We combine the core insights from both approaches to highlight key pain points and provide actionable solutions.
Her Code, Our Future: The Trailblazing Women Behind the AI Revolution
Artificial intelligence (AI) is omnipresent today—from the virtual assistants in our phones to sophisticated robotics in healthcare and transportation. Yet, behind every breakthrough in AI lies a rich history paved by women whose pioneering ideas and relentless innovation have changed the way we think about technology.