RETAIL | CASE STUDY
Establishing a Secure Foundation for AI at Century 21
1 AI GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
Created one clear approach for how employees can use AI safely across the company.
TIERED APPROVAL PROCESS
Low-risk requests move faster, while higher-risk initiatives receive additional review.
30-Day REVIEW CYCLE
Operational AI agents reviewed regularly to confirm still useful and worth keeping.
NEW SOFTWARE COST
Built the solution using tools the company already owned.
Results at a Glance
Protect Corporate Data
Created a practical AI Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) tailored to Century 21’s business, giving employees clear guidance while protecting sensitive corporate information.
Make AI Easier to Adopt
Gave employees a clear path to experiment with AI while helping IT understand what’s being used across the business.
Support Innovation Without Losing Control
Defined when AI can be used freely and when additional oversight is needed for shared business solutions.
The Opportunity
Century 21 initially engaged Sophelle to develop an AI Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) as employees began experimenting with generative AI tools. As we worked through the engagement, it became clear that a policy alone wasn’t enough. Questions around AI ownership, agent sharing, governance, licensing, cost management, and operational oversight expanded the conversation into a practical AI governance framework that could support innovation while protecting corporate data.
The Approach
As the engagement evolved, the scope expanded from developing an AUP to designing a practical AI governance framework tailored to Company X’s needs:
Understand Current AI Use
Met with employees across the business to understand how AI was already being used, identify emerging needs, and design governance that fit existing ways of working.
Establish Clear AI Guardrails
Developed a company-specific AUP that clearly distinguished personal AI experimentation from governed business solutions, giving employees practical guidance they could confidently follow.
Create a Simple Governance Process
Built an AI Registry and review process using existing Microsoft 365 tools, giving IT visibility into shared AI solutions without introducing new software or manual tracking.
Define How AI Will Scale
Created a simple operating model that clarified when employees could use Microsoft 365 Copilot, when more advanced capabilities like Copilot Studio were appropriate, and how business and IT would work together as AI adoption grew.
Ready to Transform Your AI Strategy?
Contact Sophelle today and let’s build your roadmap to secure innovation.
Ready to Transform Your AI Strategy?
Contact Sophelle today and let’s build your roadmap to secure innovation.
