What’s in the template
- Owner, data types, and approval status
- Core inventory columns every AI tool register needs when a customer, auditor, or security team asks for proof.
- Automated risk scoring
- Surfaces high-risk tools based on data exposure, vendor type, and how the tool is used — not just whether someone approved it.
- EU AI Act classification flags
- Marks recruiting, HR, and biometric-style use cases that trigger EU AI Act compliance review before they become audit findings.
How to use this spreadsheet for an AI risk assessment
Start with the AI tool inventory spreadsheet as your baseline register. Add every tool you know about — approved SaaS, browser extensions, and shadow AI apps employees adopted without IT review. Score each row for data sensitivity and use case, then prioritize the highest-risk tools for deeper assessment. This free AI tool register template gives you a repeatable starting point before you invest in a full governance platform.
Aligning your inventory with the EU AI Act
The EU AI Act expects organizations to know which AI systems they deploy and whether any fall into high-risk categories. This template includes built-in flags for recruiting, HR screening, and similar use cases so your AI tool register doubles as an early EU AI Act risk registry. Pair the spreadsheet with your existing vendor review process — and read our shadow AI guide if you are still discovering tools in use.
Why static spreadsheets fail for shadow AI tracking
A one-time AI inventory spreadsheet goes stale the moment someone signs up for a new chatbot or coding assistant. Static registers cannot alert you when a high-risk tool appears or when approval status changes. Use this template to capture your first 3–5 tools this week, then decide whether you need a live register with owners, reassessment dates, and evidence exports. Learn how shadow AI spreads in mid-market teams.
FAQ
Common questions
- What is an AI tool register?
- An AI tool register is a structured inventory of every AI application your organization uses — who owns it, what data it touches, and whether it is approved. IT and compliance teams use registers to answer auditor questions and prioritize risk assessments.
- How does this template help with EU AI Act compliance?
- The spreadsheet includes classification flags for high-risk use cases such as recruiting and HR screening. It does not provide legal classification, but it helps you identify tools that may need deeper EU AI Act review before an auditor or customer asks.
- What columns should an AI inventory spreadsheet include?
- At minimum: tool name, owner, data types processed, approval status, risk score, and regulatory flags. This template adds automated risk scoring and EU AI Act markers so high-priority rows stand out immediately.
- Can I use this for shadow AI discovery?
- Yes. Use the register to log tools you discover through surveys, expense reports, and security reviews. Shadow AI often appears as unapproved rows — the template is designed to make those gaps visible before they become incidents.
- Is the Google Sheet template free?
- Yes. Enter your work email and we send a link that makes a copy in your Google Drive. No credit card required.
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