AACF
Roles

People lead

Accountable for workforce, skills and learning.

Often held by
an HR director or chief people officer, with learning and development
Accountable for
10 controls
Contributes to
11 controls
Relies on
Delivery lead (5), Business owner (5), Executive sponsor (4), AI governance lead (3), Security lead (2), Risk lead (1)
Supports
Executive sponsor (4), AI governance lead (3), Business owner (2), Delivery lead (2)

Accountable for

This role answers for each of these controls reaching the level the organisation has set, and holds the evidence.

People & Skills

  • PPL-01

    AI literacy for all staff

    Everyone in the organisation has a baseline understanding of what AI is, what it can and cannot do, and how to use it safely under the organisation's policy.

    With: AI governance lead, Security lead.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • The literacy baseline or curriculum, with an owner and review date
    • Completion records by group
    • Results of knowledge checks or surveys
    • Literacy completion records for contractors who operate AI
    • AI security content in the literacy baseline and recent threat updates
  • PPL-02

    Leadership capability

    Leaders understand AI well enough to set direction for it, question proposals and risks, and make informed decisions about its use.

    With: Executive sponsor.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • The leadership learning offer and attendance records
    • Board or committee minutes showing informed challenge on AI
  • PPL-03

    Specialist roles and careers

    The organisation defines the specialist AI roles it needs, with career paths and a professional community that help people grow and stay.

    With: Delivery lead.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • Role profiles and career framework for AI specialists
    • Professional community terms of reference or activity records
  • PPL-04

    Skills assessment

    The organisation knows which AI skills it has and which it needs, by role and group, and uses this to plan learning, recruitment and workforce decisions.

    With: Business owner, Delivery lead.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • A skills framework or needs analysis for AI by role
    • Skills assessment results and the resulting plan
  • PPL-05

    Role-based learning

    People can get learning matched to what their role needs to do with AI, beyond the baseline for all staff, and use it in their work.

    With: Business owner, Delivery lead, Security lead.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • Role-based learning pathways and the needs they address
    • Uptake records and evaluation results
    • Learning records for people with AI risk duties, including contractors
    • AI security in learning pathways for builders, operators, buyers and security staff
  • PPL-06

    Workforce planning for AI

    The expected effect of AI on roles, numbers and skills is planned for openly, with affected staff and their representatives informed and involved, and decisions made fairly.

    With: Executive sponsor, Business owner, Risk lead.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • Workforce plans showing the expected effect of AI
    • Records of consultation or engagement with staff and representatives
    • Reskilling or redeployment records and outcome monitoring
  • PPL-07

    Bringing in and keeping expertise

    The organisation recruits and keeps the AI expertise it needs and uses external experts in a way that transfers knowledge, so that capability stays when contracts end.

    With: Delivery lead, Executive sponsor.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • Recruitment and retention plan or data for AI roles
    • Knowledge transfer clauses or records from external engagements
  • PPL-08

    Support for staff using AI

    People using AI day to day can get practical help, current guidance and answers to their questions quickly from a known place.

    With: Delivery lead, AI governance lead.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • The support route and guidance, with update dates
    • Support request data or logs showing common themes and actions
    • Tool guidance stating limitations, failure modes and residual risks

Culture & Change

  • CUL-03

    Staff and representative engagement

    Staff and their representatives, including trade unions where present, are involved early in decisions about AI that affect their work, and their input is considered and answered.

    With: Business owner, Executive sponsor.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • Engagement records or minutes from staff and representative meetings about AI
    • Examples of designs or decisions changed after staff input
  • CUL-06

    Champions and communities

    Networks of champions and communities of practice, with time and support to do so, spread know-how about AI and good practice across the organisation.

    With: AI governance lead, Business owner.

    Evidence an assessor would expect
    • Champion role description and a list of champions by area
    • Community of practice meeting records or activity data

Contributes to

Another role is accountable; this one does part of the work or supplies what it needs.

Strategy & Value

  • STR-07

    Stakeholder input to strategy

    Staff, their representatives, service users, partners and, where relevant, the public and regulators have a real opportunity to shape the AI strategy, and the organisation can show what changed as a result.

    Accountable: Executive sponsor.

Governance & Accountability

  • GOV-04

    Oversight forum

    A cross-functional forum oversees AI use, risk and performance, with terms of reference, the right membership and a clear link to the organisation's main governance.

    Accountable: AI governance lead.

Risk, Ethics & Compliance

Operating Model & Delivery

Technology & Platforms

  • TEC-08

    Unapproved AI tools

    Use of unapproved AI tools is detected, and people using them are steered to an approved alternative or a route to get their need met.

    Accountable: Delivery lead.

Culture & Change