Guardrails by Design: Contractual Keys to Responsible AI

This IDC Perspective highlights the critical importance of incorporating specific contractual clauses when adopting AI solutions. By emphasizing data governance, ethical considerations, security, transparency, and oversight, these clauses provide a framework for responsible AI adoption for businesses and organizations. IT leaders must prioritize these elements in their vendor agreements to mitigate risks and ensure that AI deployments align with organizational values and regulatory requirements.“As GenAI becomes increasingly integrated into software products and services, it’s critical for IT leaders to embed clear contractual clauses that define acceptable use, data handling, and accountability,” said Daniel Saroff, IDC group VP. “These terms should be a core part of any vendor diligence process as well — because when AI is involved, assumptions aren’t enough.”