AI Project Intake Form Template

Screen new AI projects before development begins. Captures business case, data requirements, risk level, compliance considerations, and required approvals. Ensures nothing launches without proper review.

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Key Insights

Governance review should happen before AI development begins, not after systems are built. An intake form ensures every AI project goes through proper review—capturing the information governance needs to assess risk, identify requirements, and approve (or redirect) projects appropriately.

This template provides a comprehensive intake form: project information, business case, data requirements, risk indicators, and approval routing—ensuring consistent, complete submissions for governance review.

Overview

"We built this AI, now what do we need for compliance?" This question indicates governance failed. Review should happen at intake, not after development investment. An intake form gates AI projects—nothing moves forward without providing the information governance needs.

This template provides the intake form structure. Customize fields for your organization's requirements; implement as a workflow in your project management or GRC system.

What's Inside

Section 1: Project Information

Project identification (name, ID, dates)
Requestor and executive sponsor
Project type classification:
- New AI tool deployment
- Enhancement to existing AI
- Third-party vendor integration
- Custom AI/ML development
- AI-powered automation
- Proof of concept/pilot

Section 2: Business Case

Problem statement: What business problem does this solve?
Proposed solution: How will AI be used?
Expected benefits: Measurable outcomes
Alternatives considered: Why AI over non-AI solutions?

Section 3: Data Requirements

Data sources (internal, customer, third-party, public, user-generated)
Data classification (public, internal, confidential, restricted)
Sensitive data types checklist:
- PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
- PHI (Protected Health Information)
- Financial/payment card data
- Biometric data
- Location data
- Employee data
- Minor's data
- Other protected categories

Section 4: Risk Indicators

High-risk use case triggers (automated decisions, customer-facing, regulated activity)
EU AI Act high-risk category assessment
Regulatory requirement identification
Third-party/vendor involvement

Section 5: Approval Routing

Risk tier determination (High, Medium, Low)
Required reviews based on risk tier
Governance committee review requirement
Approval signatures

Who This Is For

AI Governance Teams implementing intake processes
CAIO Offices managing project portfolios
Project Managers submitting AI projects
Business Units requesting AI capabilities
Compliance Officers ensuring review coverage

Why This Resource

Consistent intake enables consistent governance. This form ensures every AI project provides the same information—making risk assessment reliable and governance decisions defensible. No more "we didn't know it used customer data."

Risk-based routing ensures high-risk projects get appropriate review without slowing low-risk initiatives.

FAQ

Q: How do we implement this form?

A: Options include: PDF/Word for simple submission, web form in GRC or workflow tools, integration with project portfolio management. The template provides content; implementation depends on your systems.

Q: What happens after submission?

A: Governance team triages based on risk indicators, assigns risk tier, routes to appropriate reviews, and schedules governance committee review for high-risk projects. Define your workflow based on risk tiers.

Q: Can projects proceed before governance approval?

A: Policy decision for your organization. Best practice: low-risk projects may proceed with standard controls; medium/high-risk projects require explicit approval before development investment.