AI doesn’t worry me. Unquestioned AI does.

People often ask whether I’m using AI in my work. The answer is yes, but probably not in the way they mean.

I use a large language model (LLM) regularly to research topics, summarise documents, test assumptions and improve drafts. It’s become a useful sounding board. I can throw an idea at it, ask it to challenge my reasoning, identify gaps in an argument or suggest alternative ways of thinking about a problem. In many respects, it’s performing some of the functions that a researcher or adviser might perform.

What it isn’t doing is exercising judgement.

That distinction matters because the term AI now covers everything from a writing assistant through to systems that can automate entire business processes. Those are very different things. In my experience, using an LLM is no different in principle to seeking input from a lawyer, accountant or consultant. It helps inform a decision but it doesn’t make the decision.

The governance risk appears when organisations stop treating AI outputs as inputs. A board paper generated by AI may be professionally written but still miss the real issue. Minutes may read perfectly and yet fail to capture the substance of the discussion. A governance framework may be technically sound but completely unsuited to the particular business or family adopting it.

That’s especially relevant in family businesses. The difficult issues are rarely technical. They’re usually about control, trust, expectations, succession, family relationships and sometimes conversations that people have been avoiding for years. Technology can help analyse those issues, but it can’t resolve them.

That’s why I’m not concerned about directors using AI to help them think. I’m much more concerned about directors using AI so they don’t have to think as hard. Good governance has never depended on who writes the first draft. It depends on who challenges assumptions, asks the uncomfortable questions and remains accountable for the final decision.

Technology can assist judgement. It can’t replace it.

I’m interested in where others draw the line. At what point does AI move from being a useful input into the decision-making process to becoming a substitute for judgement?

Robert Powell is the founder of Family Boards Pty Limited and Greater Governance Pty Limited. He advises family owners and directors on governance, succession, and owner strategy, helping families align relationships, legacy, and long‑term value.