A new Diligent Institute/Corporate Board Member survey of 104 US public company directors found that directors' use of generative AI (GenAI) in board work continues to increase rapidly, with 82% reporting they have used AI in connection with their board responsibilities during the past six months, up from 66% in September 2025. Directors most commonly reported using AI to learn about unfamiliar technical topics, prepare for board or committee discussions, benchmark peers and market trends, and summarize board books or meeting materials.
The report also notes a significant governance gap. More than half (54%) of respondents said their companies have no policy governing directors' use of AI, while only 6% reported having a formal board-specific policy. Another 24% said their companies have an enterprise-wide AI policy that applies to directors, and 15% reported an informal policy.
Directors also reported using a wide range of AI tools. Nearly half (49%) said publicly available or consumer-facing AI tools are being used for board-related work, compared with 37% citing company-provided enterprise AI tools and 24% identifying AI capabilities embedded within the board portal. The findings underscore the growing need for boards to establish clear expectations regarding approved AI tools, appropriate uses, and safeguards for confidential board information.
The survey further found that six in 10 directors believe GenAI is already producing measurable change within their companies, with respondents expecting AI to have the greatest impact on future board discussions involving cybersecurity and data governance, strategy, and risk and compliance.
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This post first appeared in the weekly Society Alert!