25 April 2025

How many times have to experienced some sort of issue with your phone or computer? Or worse, your printer...? And how many times did your IT team suggest that you try turning it off and on again? 

What is Occam's Razor?

Occam's Razor states that the simplest explanation is the one that requires the least amount of information to describe it. In other words, the best explanation of something is the simplest one.

What does this have to do with AI governance?

Easy: Remembering the principle of Occam’s Razor helps us focus on simplicity. And who better than Apple icon Steve Jobs to listen to on this point? He said that simple can be harder than complex. I agree. Cutting through the noise, understanding what is important, communicating with precision, and not overcomplicating governance structures is critical, especially when there is so much uncertainty and trepidation.

Why does that matter?

All sorts of reasons. Mainly because AI is complex. And it’s getting more advanced. And this is all happening at an accelerating pace. All the while, the regulatory landscape ebbs and flows, legislation is proposed and implemented, new framework documents are published, international alliances are forged...

Businesses are stuck in the middle for the most part. But for others, we have seen this game play out before - the faster you grow, the easier it is to del with the financial fall-out of failure to comply. Most businesses want to do the right thing - use AI for efficiency and innovation, protect staff and user information, create a safe and secure environment, etc. 

At the end, it is the consumer who is at the mercy of the business. In large groups, we don't always make the best decisions. We famously don't read terms & conditions or privacy policies and in relation to AI, we have been so quick to jump on the bandwagon. We really don't do ourselves any favours by buying into the Ghibli effect or the Barbie box challenge! (if you know, you know)

Do I lose sleep over this?

Not quite. But I do think about this all the time. My stance is that simplicity assists complexity. Taking a complex issue like AI governance, putting in the effort to understand the risks, the requirements, and the governance structures all within the context of business objectives is complex work. Distilling it into actionable steps is to create simplicity!

So how does Occam's Razor help?

Occam’s razor can help us focus and cut through the noise if our stress response is flight, freeze or fawn. 

By embracing Occam's Razor in AI governance, we can achieve clarity through simple communication, avoid getting bogged down in unnecessary details, and maintain focus on core principles.

- Simplicity first: Neuro Linguistic Programming (a different type of NLP!) tells us that the meaning of our communication is the response we get. Therefore, clarity and audience relevance are paramount for every executive memo, advisory guideline, and process document.

- Don't overcomplicate: Know what you want to achieve with AI before designing a framework. Focus on clarity. This means guidance that everyone understands, defined roles, simple reviews and audits, and lean reporting. General awareness goes a long way.

- Walk before you run: Focus on the core principles of:

• Safety & reliability
• Fairness
• Transparency
• Accountability
• Privacy

You can't buy an off-the-shelf AI governance framework and install it overnight. But there are some very clear guiding principles that should be in every organisation’s approach to governing AI, like those mentioned above. I the next post, I will spend time focusing on the core principles and provide actionable steps you can take to think about planning for AI governance, understand the associated risks, and implementing new processes and policies.

Are you thinking about AI governance frameworks? Or maybe you want to talk about EU AI Act compliance, or responsible and trustworthy AI... Send me an email if you'd like to talk more!