Your Support of the Enterprise

• If your organization is using AI, build a solid foundation. Make sure your AI strategy, compliance, and governance are baked into everyday business operations—from products and services to internal workflows.
• Keep things clear and accountable. Prioritize transparency, and make sure the business and legal teams understand how AI-assisted decisions are made.
• Train employees to use AI responsibly, set up strong data governance, and regularly audit your tools and systems.
• Create a feedback loop to monitor AI use across the business—and when it comes to Human Resources, always pair AI with human oversight to keep things fair, transparent, compliant, and thoughtful.

Learn More:

• Explore more strategies in the ACC Checklist: Six Steps to Develop Governance and Compliance Strategies (2025), from the ACC Artificial Intelligence Toolkit for In-house Lawyers (sponsored by Kilpatrick).
• Also check out Seven Steps to Integrate AI Governance Across the Business (2025), from the ACC Artificial Intelligence Toolkit for In-house Lawyers (sponsored by Kilpatrick). 
• Legal Tech: The Crucial Role of Legal Stewardship During the AI Revolution, by Olga V. Mack, Kevin Keller, and Kristina Podnar, ACC Docket, July 29, 2024

• If owning your creative work matters, make sure there’s a human creator involved—copyright and patent protections often depend on it.
• Building or using GenAI models? Stay on top of shifting rules around fair use and IP. The legal landscape is changing fast, and it matters.
• Even if you're just using GenAI tools, you could be on the hook if the output violates someone else's copyright—so proceed with caution.
• Consider using closed or private GenAI systems to help protect your work as trade secrets.
• And most importantly—don’t accidentally give away your confidential info. Be mindful of what you share when using AI tools.

Learn More:

• Learn Five Tips to Protect Intellectual Property When Using Generative AI (2025), from the ACC Artificial Intelligence Toolkit for In-house Lawyers (sponsored by Kilpatrick). 
• Overcoming Obstacles to Securing Patents for AI-Related Inventions, by Ernest Huang, Partner, Procopio (a Meritas member firm) (2025). 

• Before jumping in, gain clarity on how your organization actually plans to use AI—what problems are you solving, and why AI?
• Dig into the value: Is this tool really going to help, or just add complexity?
• Think carefully about the data the tool uses—where it comes from, where it goes, and how it’s protected.  
• Don’t forget about jurisdictional issues if you’re working across borders.
• Take time to understand the model itself: Who built it, how does it work, and what risks might come with it? Will it make your business too dependent on one vendor?
• Watch out for any legal or business risks tied to the tool’s output, and make sure there’s always human oversight in place.
• And finally—have a backup plan. If the system fails or causes problems, you’ll want to know exactly what to do. Set clear guidelines for monitoring and evaluating its performance.  

Learn More:

• Explore more strategies in the ACC Checklist: Top 10 Steps to Evaluate AI Features, Products, and Services (2025), from the ACC Artificial Intelligence Toolkit for In-house Lawyers (sponsored by Kilpatrick). 

• Working with AI vendors? Make sure you’re asking the right questions up front.
• Find out exactly how they’re using AI—and don’t be shy about asking for documentation and clear explanations.  
• Think about including clauses for disclosure, restrictions, or requiring prior approval before AI is used—these can help you stay in control and reduce risk.
• Don’t forget to check whether any subcontractors or third parties are involved—and how they’ll be handling your data.
• To make life easier, build a set of standard AI terms and put together a playbook that your legal and business teams can actually use. It will save time and make negotiations smoother down the line.

Learn More:

• For tips regarding how to draft specific AI provisions and to explore other related strategies, please visit the ACC Checklist: Top Eight Tips to Address AI Issues in Contracts with Third Parties (2025), from the ACC Artificial Intelligence Toolkit for In-house Lawyers (sponsored by Kilpatrick).

• Artificial Intelligence Laws (EU and US), by Meghan K. Farmer, Partner, and Gregory P. Silberman, Counsel, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (March 2025)
• Artificial Intelligence Legislation 2024 (US), by the National Conference of State Legislatures
• State by State AI Legislation Snapshot (US), by Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP