Quiet Drift: The AI Oversight Gap Boards Miss

Boards often spend months evaluating AI vendors, digging into security protocols and debating budgets. Once the system goes live, however, attention tends to shift elsewhere. The model continues operating as board oversight gradually fades from view.

But AI systems are not just another piece of infrastructure. In many cases, they can behave more like a senior executive who starts influencing thousands of decisions before anyone fully understands how those calls are being made. No board would hire an executive without expecting them to deliver clear decision rights, regular performance reviews, escalation protocols, team feedback and a documented trail of key decisions. Here's why AI shouldn't be treated any differently.