LLMs have moved from buzzword to board agenda item in the UK. Chairs, non executive directors, and governance professionals are beginning to test how these tools can support better preparation, sharper questions, and more informed decisions. The experiments are cautious, but they are happening inside audit committees, risk committees, and full board meetings.
This shift sits alongside broader policy moves in the UK. The Government has set out a “pro innovation” approach to AI in its white paper on AI regulation, which encourages responsible adoption rather than blanket restrictions. At the same time, governance bodies are reminding boards that AI does not remove accountability. Directors remain responsible for outcomes, even when tools help them process information.
For many organisations, sites such as board-rooms and modern board portals provide the digital backbone for meetings. LLMs are now being layered on top of that infrastructure.
Why UK Boards Are Paying Attention to LLMs
The interest in LLMs is not driven by novelty. It comes from practical pressures:
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Board packs are longer and more technical than ever.
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Regulatory expectations under the UK Corporate Governance Code keep rising.
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Risk landscapes are more complex, from cyber security to climate exposure.
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Time available for preparation is limited.
LLMs promise to reduce the friction between information and insight. Directors want ways to get to the heart of an issue faster, without losing nuance or control.
Guidance from the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland notes that it is good governance for boards to demonstrate a commitment to lawful, ethical, and responsible use of AI inside their organisations. That mindset shapes how UK boards are experimenting with LLMs today.
Where UK Boards Are Testing LLMs in Practice
Most boards are not unleashing AI across every process. They are starting with specific, contained use cases, often in “pilot” mode.
1. Summarising and prioritising board papers
The most common experiment is simple. Governance teams feed long reports into an LLM inside a secure environment and ask for:
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Short executive summaries
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Bullet lists of key risks and opportunities
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A comparison with last quarter’s position
Directors still read the underlying papers, but they do so with a clearer map of what matters.
2. Drafting questions for management
Some boards use LLMs to stress test their own thinking. A director might ask the tool:
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“What questions should the board consider on this cyber incident report”
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“Which assumptions in this strategy document deserve challenge”
The output is not treated as advice. It is used as a prompt to sharpen the discussion.
3. Navigating regulation and guidance
Regulation is a moving target in the UK, particularly around AI, data, and consumer protection. LLMs can help directors:
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Clarify technical terms in regulatory updates
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Compare new rules with existing obligations
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Highlight sections that affect the company’s risk profile
Boards remain responsible for legal interpretation, often supported by external counsel, but LLMs help reduce the initial complexity.
4. Supporting company secretaries
Experiments are also happening in the secretariat function. AI tools are being tested to:
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Draft first versions of minutes and action logs
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Check agendas against standing items and regulatory expectations
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Track follow up items across multiple meetings
Research and commentary shared by the Institute of Directors highlights that boards are expected to stay informed about evolving AI regulations and to ensure compliance, not only in products but also in internal governance processes.
The Benefits Boards Are Aiming For
UK boards that experiment with LLMs are typically seeking four main benefits.
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Better use of meeting time
Less time spent walking through packs, more time on debate and decision. -
Improved clarity on risks
Early identification of trends across finance, audit, and risk reports. -
More inclusive discussions
Plain language explanations can help directors with non technical backgrounds engage fully on complex topics. -
Stronger forward planning
Faster synthesis of external market, policy, and stakeholder signals.
These benefits are attractive, especially in sectors where margins are thin and external scrutiny is intense.
The Risks UK Boards Are Trying to Control
Alongside benefits, directors are acutely aware of the risks. Surveys of UK governance professionals show concern about AI accuracy and the potential for “black box” outputs that cannot be easily explained.
When UK boards speak about LLMs, they usually mention five concerns:
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Data protection: ensuring confidential information is not exposed to public models or poorly governed vendors.
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Accuracy and hallucinations: preventing incorrect but plausible summaries from slipping into formal records.
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Bias: avoiding subtle skew in the way issues are framed or priorities are suggested.
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Over reliance: making sure directors do not treat AI as an authority rather than a tool.
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Regulatory expectations: aligning AI use with UK GDPR, sector regulation, and the expectations of investors and regulators.
The Information Commissioner’s Office has updated its guidance on AI and data protection, which emphasises fairness, accountability, and protection of vulnerable groups. Boards are increasingly using that guidance as a reference point.
Emerging Good Practice for UK Boards
Although there is no single template yet, some early patterns are visible in how UK boards approach LLM experimentation.
1. Start small and contained
Boards often begin with low risk use cases, such as summarising public information or non sensitive sections of board packs.
2. Keep humans firmly in control
AI outputs are always reviewed. Directors and company secretaries treat them as input, not conclusions.
3. Use secure, enterprise grade tools
Public chatbots are avoided for confidential material. Instead, organisations deploy private models or vendor tools that operate within established security and governance frameworks.
4. Document policies and boundaries
Boards set clear rules on where LLMs can be used, which data sets are in scope, and who is accountable for oversight.
5. Invest in board education
Some UK boards now run short teach ins on AI and LLMs, often supported by external experts or governance institutes, so that all members can participate in the conversation with confidence.
What Comes Next for LLMs in UK Boardrooms
Over the next few years, LLM capabilities will likely be embedded directly into the board portals, workflow tools, and reporting systems that UK boards already use. Instead of switching to separate AI tools, directors will encounter:
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Smart summaries attached to each agenda item
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Context sensitive questions generated alongside reports
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Risk flags that pull together signals from multiple committees
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Easier retrieval of historic decisions and rationales
The direction of travel is clear. AI will become part of the fabric of UK board information, not a separate experiment.
The boards that benefit most will be those that combine a clear governance framework with a willingness to test, learn, and adapt. For UK directors, the question is no longer whether LLMs belong in the boardroom. It is how to use them with care, transparency, and a firm grip on accountability.