AI tool inventory
A single list of the AI tools actually in use across a business, who uses each one, what for and on what kind of data. It includes tools staff pay for themselves and AI features switched on inside software the business already has.
What it means in practice
The governance article says governance starts with an inventory and not with a policy written against an assumption, and that the answers usually come back longer and more varied than leadership expects. The ownership article calls the result a one-page list of tool, user and purpose, usually the first time anyone has seen the whole picture.
How we use it
The governance article says governance starts with the inventory, and the ownership article says an audit lists every tool in use, checks what each one handles and gives each one an owner and a review date. See AI governance for small and mid-sized businesses and what happens when nobody owns the AI you have rolled out.
FAQ
Questions about AI tool inventory
What goes in an AI tool inventory?
For each tool: who uses it, what it is used for and what data it can reach. The ownership article adds the date of the next review, and says to include tools staff pay for themselves and AI features inside software the business already has.
How long does it take?
The ownership article lays out a thirty-day route, and the list itself is week one: ask people rather than scanning accounts, and make clear the aim is to understand use, not to punish it.
What it means for a business
It does not need software, and it does not need to be exhaustive on the first pass. It needs the same plain question put to every team and an honest record of the answers.
Ready to put this to work?
Tell us where your team is with AI and we will tell you honestly what would make the biggest difference.