The Board-Level AI Readiness Scorecard: 12 Questions CEOs Should Ask Before Approving Enterprise Scale

This article provides a board-level AI readiness scorecard, offering 12 critical questions CEOs and boards should ask before approving enterprise-scale AI projects. It emphasizes moving beyond pilot success to evaluate measurable value, named ownership, data governance, production architecture, authority constraints, control testing, workforce readiness, and exit paths. The scorecard uses a 0-2 scoring system (max 24) but highlights critical blockers that stop scale regardless of score, such as missing business owners or uncontrolled AI authority. It references ISO/IEC 38507, ISO/IEC 42001, and NIST frameworks, and notes EU AI Act timelines. The goal is to ensure organizations can create value, control exposure, operate services, and reverse decisions, rather than eliminating uncertainty. This is a governance-focused guide for technology executives and board members.