SaaS ISMS: building a lightweight AI policy for SaaS companies

As generative AI becomes a core driver of productivity, SaaS companies are recognising the need for structured governance surrounding its use. An AI Acceptable Use Policy is the ideal document for this task. This policy defines how employees may interact with AI tools, what information can be processed and which safeguards should be followed to ensure responsible use.

A well-constructed policy enables teams to approach AI safely and with a security-aware mindset, without causing unnecessary friction in adoption. For modern cloud-native companies, this balance is critical. Many open-source Information Security Management System (ISMS) templates fail to address AI-specific risks and often assume traditional IT environments, forcing SaaS companies to heavily adapt them to align with remote teams, rapid development cycles and cloud-based stacks.

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In this post, we break down the core sections every SaaS company should include in an AI Acceptable Use Policy; one that empowers teams to use AI responsibly, keeps you audit-ready and avoids creating rules no one follows.

Purpose and scope

Any good security policy should begin by clearly articulating why it exists and where it applies. In the context of AI, the first section should frame AI usage in the context of your broader ISMS, making it explicit that generative AI tools must be used in a secure and controlled manner. This introduction should establish that the policy applies to all employees, contractors and third parties who use AI systems as part of their work.