How many tools should be on the approved list?

Start with one to three tools. Fewer tools are easier to manage and train on. You can always add more as needs evolve.

What if employees want a tool that is not approved?

Create a request process. Evaluate the tool against your criteria and respond within two weeks. Either approve it or explain why it was not approved.

Should free tools ever be approved?

Free tools with adequate security for non-sensitive tasks can be approved with restrictions. Clearly specify that they must not be used with company data.

Quick answer

Evaluate tools against security, compliance, and usability criteria. Create a simple approved list with categories (approved, restricted, prohibited). Review quarterly and update as new tools emerge.

Updated June 2026 · MmowW AI Compliance

How to Create an Approved AI Tool List for Your Company

Why an Approved List Matters

Without a clear approved tool list, employees choose AI tools based on convenience or popularity rather than security. An approved list channels AI use through vetted tools that meet your company's data protection and compliance requirements.

Step 1: Inventory Current Usage

Survey your team to find out what AI tools people are already using. You might be surprised by the variety. This baseline helps you understand what tools to evaluate first and identifies any immediate risks from unapproved tools already in use.

Step 2: Define Evaluation Criteria

Create a simple scorecard with five criteria. Data security: does the tool protect company data? Compliance: does it meet regulatory requirements? Training opt-out: can you prevent data from being used for model training? Usability: is it practical for your team's tasks? Cost: is the pricing reasonable for the value provided?

Step 3: Evaluate Tools

Start with the tools your team is already using and the most popular enterprise options. Evaluate each against your criteria. Request security documentation from vendors. Test functionality with real work tasks. Score each tool and make approve, restrict, or prohibit decisions.

Step 4: Create Three Categories

Approved tools can be used freely for work within your data handling rules. Restricted tools can be used only for specific purposes or data types with management approval. Prohibited tools must not be used for any work tasks. Be specific about why tools are in each category.

Step 5: Publish and Communicate

Share the list with all employees. Explain the categories and the reasoning. Make the list easy to find in your shared documents or intranet. Include the date of last review and the next scheduled review date.

Step 6: Maintain the List

Review quarterly. New AI tools launch constantly, and existing tools change their features and terms. Add a process for employees to request evaluation of new tools. Respond to requests within two weeks to prevent frustration-driven unauthorized use.

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory requirements change frequently — verify current rules with official sources. Built by Sawai Gyoseishoshi Office, Hiroshima, Japan.