Article
What boards should ask about AI agents
A practical question set for directors overseeing enterprise AI agents, autonomy, and accountability.
A board does not need to approve every AI tool to govern AI well. It does need a clear view of where agents operate, what they can do, and which humans remain accountable for their actions.
The strongest oversight conversations start with concrete operating questions rather than broad claims about innovation or productivity.
Questions for management
Which agents are currently deployed in production, and which have authority to take action without human approval?
Where can an agent spend money, change a customer experience, alter a record, access sensitive data, or trigger another automated workflow?
What evidence would show the board that controls are working as intended?
The governance signal
Answers to these questions reveal whether an organization has moved from AI enthusiasm to AI governance. The board's job is to make that difference visible.