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Part 8 · Assurance and Improvement

The four-level Maturity Model

Aware, Established, Embedded and Leading. What each level actually looks like, where organisations tend to stall and how to assess where you are.

The Maturity Model describes four levels of AI governance capability, from an organisation that has simply taken a position through to one where consequence thinking happens before a tool is adopted. Maturity self-assessment forms part of every annual Assurance Review.

Maturity is not linear. An organisation can be strong on evidence while weak on discovery. It can run excellent Assurance Reviews over a register missing half of what people actually use. The model is a diagnostic rather than a ladder, so the useful question is which part is furthest behind rather than which number to claim.

The four Maturity Levels

Maturity Level 1

Aware

The organisation knows AI is in use and has taken a position

There is a written policy, a named Governance Lead and a register that exists. Coverage may be partial and profiling may not have started. The organisation can say what its position is, which is more than most.

Where organisations stall: A register that is built once and never revisited, so it describes the organisation as it was rather than as it is.
Maturity Level 2

Established

The system runs day to day

Every Activity is registered, profiled and carries a recorded Safeguard selection. People have been trained at the level their role requires. Governance happens as part of normal work rather than as an exercise.

Where organisations stall: Profiling that has become a formality, where new Activities inherit a rating by resemblance rather than being assessed.
Maturity Level 3

Embedded

The organisation checks itself and can prove it

Assurance Reviews happen at the frequency the ratings require and cover all six mandatory scope areas. Incidents are categorised, investigated and produce lessons. The Governance Evidence Pack is complete and current.

Where organisations stall: Reviews that confirm everything is fine every time, which usually means the scope has quietly narrowed to what is easy to check.
Maturity Level 4

Leading

Governance shapes decisions before they are made

Consequence thinking happens before a tool is adopted rather than after. Providers are assessed as part of procurement. Improvement actions come from the organisation noticing things rather than from something going wrong.

Where organisations stall: Sophistication that outruns the basics, where the organisation has elaborate oversight of its flagship Activity and no idea what the finance team installed last month.

Assessing where you are

Use current operating evidence for the Maturity Self-Assessment. The six mandatory Assurance Review areas show whether the organisation’s governance practices are complete, current and effective.

How the six Assurance Review areas inform maturity
Assurance Review areaWhat a weak finding may indicate
Completeness of Activity RegisterAI Activities are missing, so governance decisions may rely on an incomplete picture
Currency of Consequence ProfilesProfiles may no longer reflect how the AI Activities operate
Safeguard effectivenessSafeguards may be recorded without operating as intended
Incident reviewConcerns may not be reported or lessons may not be used
Competence and trainingPeople may lack the competence their role requires
Regulatory and legal landscape changesGovernance decisions may not reflect current obligations

Maturity is not purchased

Buying an AIGMS package provides implementation material. It does not award a Maturity Level and it does not replace the Maturity Self-Assessment.

An organisation determines its Maturity Level from current operating evidence. The level reflects what it has implemented, how consistently it operates and what it can demonstrate.

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Framework version 3.1  ·  Page last reviewed 28 July 2026  ·  Next scheduled review 28 July 2027
Material changes since the previous version See how AIGMS™ is structured

Put this into practice

The AIGMS packages provide the documents, registers, workbooks and training needed to implement the governance management system.