AI Model Card Policy Template

Establish structured AI model documentation practices designed to support transparency, accountability, and regulatory alignment

[Download Now]

This AI Model Card Policy Template provides organizations with a structured framework for documenting AI models throughout their lifecycle. The template includes customizable sections covering governance structures, model card creation requirements, review processes, and compliance monitoring. Organizations will need to tailor placeholders, examples, and role definitions to match their specific operational context, regulatory environment, and risk profile. The pre-built structure may help reduce the time required to develop AI documentation policies from scratch.

Key Benefits

✓ Provides a governance framework with defined roles and responsibilities using a RACI matrix structure
✓ Includes guidance for model card content requirements covering identification, purpose, architecture, data, performance, and risk documentation
✓ Contains sections designed to support alignment with ISO 42001, NIST AI RMF, and EU AI Act Annex IV requirements
✓ Offers review and approval workflow templates for multi-stakeholder oversight
✓ Includes lifecycle management guidance covering update triggers, version control, and MLOps integration
✓ Provides compliance monitoring and enforcement framework sections
✓ Contains appendix sections for regulatory and standards mapping

Who Uses This?

Designed for:

AI Governance Officers and Committees
Compliance and Risk Management Teams
Data Scientists and ML Engineers requiring documentation frameworks
Legal and Regulatory Affairs professionals
Organizations deploying AI systems in regulated environments
Companies seeking to establish AI documentation standards

What’s Included in the Template:

15 main sections covering purpose, scope, governance, policy requirements, creation requirements, review processes, lifecycle management, storage, compliance monitoring, and continuous improvement
RACI responsibility matrix framework for AI documentation roles
Model card content requirements across 10 documentation categories
Review and approval workflow structures
Compliance verification and non-compliance management sections
Three appendix sections including templates, regulatory mapping guidance, and glossary
Comprehensive definitions section covering 15+ AI governance terms
Version history and approver tracking tables

Why This Matters

Organizations deploying AI systems face increasing pressure to demonstrate transparency, accountability, and responsible practices. Model cards have emerged as a documentation method for communicating essential information about AI models, including their intended purpose, training data, performance characteristics, and limitations.

Regulatory frameworks are establishing documentation expectations for AI systems. The EU AI Act includes technical documentation requirements in Annex IV for high-risk AI systems. ISO/IEC 42001:2023 establishes requirements for AI Management Systems, including documentation controls. The NIST AI Risk Management Framework provides voluntary guidance organized around Govern, Map, Measure, and Manage functions that depend on adequate documentation practices.

Developing comprehensive AI documentation policies requires addressing governance structures, content standards, review processes, and ongoing maintenance. This template provides a starting framework that organizations can customize to their specific requirements, though professional review and adaptation to organizational context remains necessary.

Framework Alignment

This template includes sections designed to support alignment with the following frameworks explicitly referenced in the document:

ISO/IEC 42001:2023 — AI Management System requirements including documentation, risk management, and transparency provisions
NIST AI RMF — Voluntary risk-based framework with Govern, Map, Measure, and Manage functions
EU AI Act Annex IV — Technical documentation requirements for high-risk AI systems
ISO/IEC 23894:2023 — AI risk management guidance referenced as supplementary standard
ISO/IEC TR 24028:2020 — AI trustworthiness overview referenced for background context

Key Features

The template contains the following sections based on the actual table of contents:

Governance Structure and Responsibilities (Section 3) — Leadership commitment, AI Governance Council roles, and RACI matrix covering eight defined roles from Data Scientists to End Users
Regulatory and Standards Alignment (Section 4.1) — Explicit mapping guidance for ISO 42001, NIST AI RMF, and EU AI Act requirements
Model Card Creation Requirements (Section 5) — Triggers for creation and minimum content requirements across ten documentation categories including model identification, intended purpose, architecture, data documentation, performance metrics, risk assessment, deployment information, and compliance adherence
Review and Approval Process (Section 6) — Multi-stakeholder review requirements, approval workflows, and quality assurance verification procedures
Maintenance and Lifecycle Management (Section 7) — Update triggers, version control, change management, and MLOps integration guidance
Storage and Accessibility (Section 8) — Central repository requirements and access management controls
Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (Section 9) — Verification mechanisms and non-compliance management procedures
Appendices (Section 11) — Standard templates, regulatory mapping tables, and glossary materials

Comparison Table: Generic Approach vs. This Professional Template

Aspect	Generic Approach	This Professional Template
Governance Structure	Ad-hoc role assignments	Defined RACI matrix with eight stakeholder categories
Content Standards	Inconsistent documentation	Ten structured content requirement categories
Framework References	Limited or no alignment	Explicit sections for ISO 42001, NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act
Review Process	Informal reviews	Multi-stakeholder workflow with approval documentation
Lifecycle Management	Reactive updates	Defined triggers, version control, and MLOps integration guidance
Compliance Monitoring	Manual tracking	Verification mechanisms and non-compliance management framework

FAQ Section

Q: What format is the template delivered in? A: The template is delivered as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file optimized for proper formatting and collaborative editing capabilities.

Q: What customization is required before use? A: Organizations need to replace placeholder text (marked in brackets), update the company logo, define specific roles for their organization, customize examples to match their environment, and adapt sections to their regulatory requirements and risk profile.

Q: Does this template guarantee compliance with ISO 42001 or EU AI Act? A: No. This template provides a structured framework designed to support compliance efforts but does not guarantee compliance. Organizations should conduct their own compliance assessments and seek appropriate professional guidance for their specific regulatory obligations.

Q: What supporting documents are referenced but not included? A: The policy references companion documents including an AI Model Card Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and a High-Level Checklist for Model Card and Datasheet Creation, which are separate documents not included in this template.

Q: Is this template suitable for all organization sizes? A: The template indicates it provides a framework suitable for businesses of various sizes with adaptable solutions for cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid environments. However, smaller organizations may find certain sections more extensive than required and can simplify accordingly.

Q: How often should this policy be reviewed? A: The template includes a Policy Review Cadence section recommending annual formal policy review, with interim updates based on regulatory changes and feedback incorporation mechanisms.

Ideal For Section

This template is designed for:

AI Governance Teams establishing documentation standards across the organization
Compliance Officers developing policies to support regulatory alignment efforts
Risk Managers implementing AI-specific risk documentation practices
Data Science Leaders seeking structured frameworks for model documentation
Legal and Regulatory Affairs professionals addressing AI transparency requirements
Organizations deploying high-risk AI systems under EU AI Act classifications
Companies pursuing ISO 42001 certification or NIST AI RMF alignment
Enterprises requiring multi-stakeholder review processes for AI deployments

Pricing Strategy Options

Single Template: Contact for pricing based on organizational requirements and customization needs.

Bundle Option: May be combined with related AI governance templates (SOPs, checklists, risk assessment frameworks) depending on organizational compliance scope.

Enterprise Option: Available as part of comprehensive AI governance documentation suites for organizations with multiple AI systems or complex regulatory requirements.

⚖️ Differentiator

This AI Model Card Policy Template provides a structured documentation framework with explicit sections designed to support alignment with three major AI governance frameworks: ISO/IEC 42001:2023, NIST AI RMF, and EU AI Act Annex IV. The template includes a defined RACI matrix covering eight stakeholder roles, ten categories of model card content requirements, multi-stakeholder review workflows, and compliance monitoring mechanisms. Unlike generic policy templates, this document provides regulatory mapping guidance in the appendices and includes a comprehensive glossary defining 15+ AI governance terms. The template requires customization to organizational context and professional review before implementation, but provides a structured starting point designed to support organizations developing AI documentation practices.

Document Disclaimer: This template provides a framework requiring customization to your organization’s specific context, regulatory environment, and operational requirements. It does not constitute legal advice and does not guarantee compliance with any regulatory framework. Professional review is recommended before implementation. Documents are optimized for Microsoft Word to ensure proper formatting and collaborative editing capabilities.