The AI Governance Roundtable: Who Owns It?
Most enterprises think they have AI governance—they actually have a policy document. IBM's HR AI Director and Lyra Labs' COO reveal why 90% of organizations operate at "Governance 0.5" and share the four-part operating model that separates leaders from laggards. Learn who really owns AI governance (hint: it's not the CTO), how to govern agentic systems without losing human oversight, and actionable frameworks for moving beyond paperwork to operational excellence.
Paul Brzozowski
Co-Founder • Olakai
Paul Brzozowski is co-founder of Olakai, where he leads the development of innovative solutions at the intersection of technology and business strategy. With deep expertise in building scalable platforms and driving product innovation, Paul brings a practical perspective to emerging technologies and their real-world applications. His work focuses on helping organizations navigate complex technical challenges while maintaining a clear vision for sustainable growth.
LinkedIn ProfileKate Ashworth Brash
HR AI Director • IBM
Kate Ashworth Brash is the HR AI Director at IBM, where she leads the strategic development and implementation of artificial intelligence solutions across human resources functions. With deep expertise in AI applications, organizational transformation, and workforce innovation, she drives initiatives that enhance employee experience and operational efficiency at scale. Her work bridges the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and practical HR strategy, helping organizations navigate the evolving landscape of AI-powered talent management.
LinkedIn ProfileRob Saltrese
Co-Founder and COO • Lyra Labs
Rob Saltrese is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Lyra Labs, where he leads operational strategy and business development for the company's AI-driven solutions. With extensive experience scaling technology ventures, Rob brings deep expertise in building high-performing teams and driving operational excellence in the AI and software sectors. His work focuses on translating complex technical innovation into sustainable business models that deliver measurable impact.
LinkedIn ProfileMost enterprises do not have a working AI governance program. They have a policy.
Paul Brzozowski sits down with Kate Ashworth Brash, HR AI Director at IBM and focal point for HR and Talent on IBM's AI Ethics Board, and Rob Saltrese, Co-Founder and COO of Lyra Labs, for an unfiltered conversation about the honest state of enterprise AI governance in 2026, and the operating model that separates organizations pulling ahead from the ones still writing the policy.
What you will hear:
- Why nine out of ten enterprises are at Governance 0.5, not 2.0
- The four-part operating model that works at global scale: risk tolerance, use case classification, embedded intake, stakeholders throughout
- Kate's System, Data, People measurement framework
- The difference between AI ethics, AI governance, and AI security, and why getting this wrong routes ownership to the wrong place
- Who actually owns AI governance inside an enterprise (it is not the CTO)
- Governing agentic AI without losing meaningful human-in-the-loop
- Real-world advice for leaders at every stage of the journey
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to The Roundtable
02:00 Topic Drop: From policy to operating model
04:00 The honest state of AI governance in 2026
11:00 What a mature operating model actually contains
20:00 Measurement: System, Data, People
28:00 The agentic frontier and meaningful human-in-the-loop
33:00 Lightning round
34:30 Takeaways and close
Guests:
Kate Ashworth Brash, HR AI Director, IBM: LinkedIn Profile
Rob Saltrese, Co-Founder and COO, Lyra Labs: LinkedIn Profile
Paul Brzozowski, Co-Founder, Olakai: LinkedIn Profile
The Roundtable is the monthly spin-off of Enterprise AI Unlocked. Once a month, we pick one big topic in enterprise AI and cut through the noise with practitioners doing the work.
Hosted by Paul Brzozowski, Co-Founder of Olakai, the Enterprise AI Intelligence Platform that helps organizations measure, govern, and scale their AI stack.
