Original broadcast 10/15/25
Artificial intelligence offers enormous potential — but also new kinds of risk. How agencies manage those risks will determine whether AI becomes a trusted tool or a regulatory liability. Martin Stanley, AI Risk Management Framework Lead at NIST, and Melissa McGriff, Vice President of Federal at ServiceNow, explore how governance and risk management can accelerate innovation rather than slow it down.
“Risk management isn’t about eliminating risk,” Stanley says. “It’s about understanding it, measuring it, and deciding how much risk you’re willing to take to achieve your goals.”
Stanley helped develop NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF), a guide for integrating AI oversight into enterprise risk programs. He emphasizes that AI risks are contextual — the same model can carry different implications depending on how it’s used. “An image recognition system used in a car is very different from one used in medical diagnostics,” he explains. “You have to evaluate risk within that context.”
McGriff agrees and adds that agencies must make governance central to their AI strategy. “No one gets excited about governance, but it’s where success happens,” she says. “Without strong governance, even the best technology can fail to deliver value.”
The pair also stress the importance of public-private collaboration. By working closely with industry, agencies can better understand emerging technologies and ensure compliance without stifling progress. “Partnerships allow agencies to leverage innovation safely,” McGriff notes.
Stanley points out that agencies must cultivate what he calls a “risk-aware culture.” That means empowering teams across the enterprise — from legal to IT — to identify, assess, and manage risks continuously. “It’s not a once-a-year audit,” he says. “It’s an ongoing conversation.”
Ultimately, governance and innovation are not opposites but complements. “The goal,” Stanley says, “is to build systems that are trustworthy and transparent — systems that citizens can rely on, and employees can confidently use.”
Key Takeaways
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Effective AI risk management balances innovation with accountability.
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Governance should evolve as technology and missions evolve.
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Building a “risk-aware culture” empowers responsible and sustainable AI adoption.
This interview was part of Intelligent Government: Smart Strategies to Accelerate AI Innovation presented by ServiceNow. Click here to watch the entire program.