NEW YORK, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As AI becomes embedded in enterprise decision-making, the American Arbitration Association^®(AAA), the global leader in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), is focusing on educating the legal community on best practices around AI governance and how it must evolve in practice and execution to meet the moment.

At Legalweek 2026, the AAA convened legal and technology leaders, including Galia Amram of Open AI, Anna R. Gressel of Freshfields, and Henry Hagen of Moderna, for a discussion on how governance builds trust and accountability into enterprise AI adoption. During the panel, “Trust Is the Product: How AI Governance and Legal Oversight Is Driving Successful Adoption,” the AAA shared preliminary findings from its national survey on AI governance and announced a new professional education series with Creative Lawyers and the Practising Law Institute (PLI), launching in the fourth quarter of 2026.

“AI adoption is no longer theoretical. It’s shaping decisions across industries,” said Bridget McCormack, president and CEO of the AAA. “The question now is not whether organizations will use AI, but how they will govern it. Trust will belong to institutions that can demonstrate their systems are structured, supervised, and accountable. Governance is what turns experimentation into durable progress.”

The forthcoming study, “AI Governance: From Principles to Practice,” is expected to survey 500 general counsels, C-suite leaders, and technology executives across U.S.-based companies to explore how legal and technical teams collaborate to implement AI governance, where operational gaps persist, and what structures are required to govern AI systems throughout their lifecycle. The full study, to be released in Spring 2026, is designed to serve as a national benchmark for enterprise-wide AI governance and implementation.

Preliminary findings indicate that, while many organizations have AI governance frameworks in place, implementation often lags—particularly when translating principles into technical controls and aligning decision-making across teams.

“AI governance is not a policy exercise; it is an operational discipline,” said Sasha Carbone, general counsel at the AAA. “Organizations are discovering that drafting principles is the easy part. The harder work is defining decision rights, documenting risk acceptance, and ensuring accountability across the system lifecycle. Governance must be built into how decisions are made, not layered on after the fact.”

This research initiative reflects the AAA’s broader commitment to advancing responsible AI governance across industries, grounded in its own experience embedding structured oversight into AI-driven innovation.

AI Governance Education for Legal Leaders

To further support legal leaders navigating AI governance, the AAA, in partnership with Creative Lawyers and the Practising Law Institute (PLI), will launch a new AI governance program series later in 2026. The program will address foundational governance structures, organizational implementation strategies, risk and vendor oversight, and positioning governance as a strategic advantage.

“Corporate counsel are navigating rapid AI adoption alongside an evolving regulatory landscape,” said PLI President Sharon L. Crane. “Through this collaboration with the AAA, we are providing practical, structured guidance that helps legal leaders move from awareness to implementation, equipping them with the tools to build and sustain effective AI governance programs.”

To be among the first to receive the final study, including detailed findings and practical guidance for legal and business leaders, register at https://feature.adr.org/AAA-AI-Governance-Survey.

About the American Arbitration Association
The American Arbitration Association is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services in the world. Marking its centennial in 2026, the American Arbitration Association has transformed how legal issues are resolved for better since 1926, turning disputes worldwide into opportunities for understanding and progress. A not-for-profit organization, the American Arbitration Association’s mission is to deliver ADR services with integrity, transparency, and innovation. For more information, visit www.adr.org/.

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