How to Put Artificial Intelligence on the Board Agenda: Annual Calendar, One-Page Report, and 8 Indicators
By Pedro Sonda, dooop
To put AI on the board agenda, create three elements: an annual calendar with four themes (strategy, risk, capability, and outcome, one per quarter), a one-page quarterly report with the same eight indicators each edition, and a clear rule to bring to the board, outside the calendar, relevant investments and serious incidents. With this, AI stops appearing only in occasional presentations about trends and starts being monitored like any other strategic topic.
Updated in October 2026.
Where Boards Stand
| Data | Source |
|---|---|
| 31% of board members and executives say AI is not on the board agenda (down from 45% in the previous edition); one third are dissatisfied with the time dedicated to the topic; 40% say AI made them rethink board composition | Deloitte, 2025 |
| 80% of non-executive directors consider current practices and structures inadequate to oversee AI; 53% see the next CEO’s technology experience as a relevant factor in succession | Gartner, 2024 |
In Brazil, the AI guide for board members from IBGC, with Microsoft and Accenture, addresses topics such as strategy, governance, risks, capital allocation, and workforce, which can guide the agenda.
Interpretation: AI is entering the agenda but still insufficiently and often without structure. The challenge has shifted from "if" to "how" to monitor.
dooop Framework: The Board’s Annual AI Calendar
| Quarter | Central Theme | Guiding Question | Material the Executive Team Provides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Strategy | How does AI change our market and where will we invest? | AI thesis; priorities; what is excluded |
| 2nd | Risk | What uses exist and how are they controlled? | Inventory; risk map; incidents; policy |
| 3rd | Capability | Are we prepared to execute? | Maturity; readiness of leaders and teams; board literacy |
| 4th | Outcome | What has AI delivered and what comes next? | Results by initiative; decisions to scale or stop; budget |
The four themes correspond to the oversight fronts described in The Role of the Board of Directors in Artificial Intelligence.
dooop Framework: The One-Page Quarterly Report
| # | Indicator | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Number of initiatives by stage (test, operation, scale, closed) | Shows if the portfolio is advancing or accumulating |
| 2 | Initiatives with measured outcome indicators | Shows measurement discipline |
| 3 | Accumulated results of initiatives in operation | Shows value delivered |
| 4 | Accumulated investment, including people | Shows real cost |
| 5 | AI uses inventoried and percentage with risk assessment | Shows control |
| 6 | Recorded incidents and actions taken | Shows learning and transparency |
| 7 | Percentage of leaders and teams trained | Shows readiness |
| 8 | Main decisions requested from the board | Shows what needs attention |
Using the same indicators each quarter allows the board to see trends, not just snapshots.
What Goes to the Board Outside the Calendar
| Situation | Generic Example |
|---|---|
| Investment above the defined limit | Multi-year contract for AI platform |
| Serious incident | Data leak from AI tool use; error impacting customers |
| Structural change | Area redesign with significant impact on jobs |
| Relevant regulatory change | New law or regulation affecting existing uses |
How to Start
- Propose the calendar and report to the board chair.
- At the first meeting, hold a practical literacy session with sector cases.
- Assign the topic to an existing committee (risk, technology, or strategy) for monitoring between meetings.
- Use the board questions about AI to prepare the executive team.
What to Do Now
- Review the agenda from the last 12 months: how many times did AI appear and with what depth?
- Create the first version of the one-page report, even if some indicators do not yet exist.
- Define limits for bringing decisions and incidents to the board outside the calendar.
To prepare boards and structure AI governance, see dooop’s AI-Focused Leadership and AI Governance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the company does not yet have indicators? Start with those that exist and mark the others as "under development." The absence of an indicator is already useful information for the board.
Should advisory boards follow the same model? Yes, in a simplified version. Even two themes per year and a semiannual report organize monitoring.
How much meeting time should AI occupy? Enough to discuss the quarter’s theme and requested decisions. The report should be read beforehand so meeting time is used for discussion.
Also Read
About dooop
dooop is a consultancy based in Caxias do Sul (RS) that prepares leaders and organizations to transform artificial intelligence into business capability through strategy, governance, and training.