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ARTICLE · 16 OCTOBER 2026

AI Governance: Good Plumbing, Not A Brake On Innovation

Lewis Silkin
Lewis Silkin
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Lewis Silkin

Lewis Silkin

Joint managing partners: Jo Farmer, Richard Miskella International offices: Dublin, Hong Kong...

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As AI systems become increasingly autonomous, the organisations that succeed will be those that combine strong strategic leadership with robust governance frameworks. Drawing on insights from the CEO of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, this analysis explores why treating AI as a 'digital workforce' requires clear accountability, effective oversight, and the capability to supervise systems that can act independently.

United KingdomStrategy
Helen Hart
Helen Hart
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Good AI governance may not be glamorous, but it could determine which organisations make the most of AI. That was one of the key messages from Kate Jones, CEO of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), in her keynote speech at our recent AI Agenda conference.

Jones likened good governance to plumbing: when it works properly, you barely notice it and may not fully understand how it operates. It is when something goes wrong that its importance suddenly becomes apparent.

That message is particularly pertinent as concerns about the risks associated with AI continue to grow. Jones pointed to recent examples of AI going wrong, including the controversy surrounding West Midlands Police's assessment of whether an Israeli football team could safely play in Birmingham, as well as widely puclicised examples of AI "hallucinations" in the legal sector.

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