The City of London Corporation has unveiled a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to guide the ethical and responsible use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies across its operations.

As generative AI tools become increasingly integrated into workplace practices, the City Corporation’s new policy sets out clear expectations for employees, contractors, vendors, and other stakeholders.

Key highlights of the policy include:

  • Governance and oversight: All intended uses of GenAI must be declared to the Corporation’s Information Management Board, with details of input, output, and distribution.
  • Ethical and legal compliance: GenAI must not be used to generate discriminatory, offensive, or inappropriate content. Users are required to comply with UK data protection laws and intellectual property regulations.
  • Transparency: Any content generated by GenAI must be clearly identified and reviewed for accuracy, with users taking full responsibility for its use.
  • Security and data sovereignty: The City Corporation mandates rigorous technical assessments of GenAI tools to ensure data protection, especially when platforms are hosted internationally.
  • Integration and risk management: Plugin tools must be tested for moderation and factual reliability. Risk assessments are required for any GenAI-related project, particularly those involving personal data.

The SOP is underpinned by a set of AI principles and robust challenge from its Digital Services Committee Members working with the permanent staff. These principles emphasise lawful, transparent, explainable, responsible, accountable, robust, and ethical AI use.

James Tumbridge, Chairman of Digital Services for the City of London Corporation said:

“This policy reflects our commitment to innovation with integrity. By setting clear standards for the use of generative AI, we aim to harness its potential while safeguarding public confidence, data security, and ethical governance.  We want people to use AI with thought, and that is what this policy is all about.”

The SOP will be reviewed regularly to keep pace with technological developments and evolving legal standards.

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