The AI Tools Registry

Know every AI tool in your business and control what data they access.

If your team is using tools like ChatGPT, automated email assistants, writing extensions, or software with built-in AI features, you are actively making decisions about your corporate data. Without a master inventory, you cannot track which tools have access to sensitive records or what information is leaving your direct control.

The AI Tools Registry is your business's living record of every artificial intelligence tool in use. It provides a practical, ongoing tracking system designed for small business owners and managers—requiring zero complex technical background.

What is inside this registry?

• Plain-Language Guidance Clear instructions on how to establish your baseline inventory, maintain your records, and schedule recurring reviews.
• Risk Tier Guide A structured categorization framework using Green, Yellow, and Red light definitions to immediately flag low-risk tools, restricted operations, and high-risk exposures.
• Risk Tier Decision Guide A practical series of questions to help you evaluate tool access—covering client names, financial records, credentials, privacy terms, and model-training retention risks.
• Master Tool Registry Table A clean, fillable tracking sheet to record tool names, categories, users, data access points, approval statuses, and data-sharing configurations.
• Shadow AI Discovery Survey A quick team survey framework designed to uncover unauthorized or unmanaged AI tools your employees might already be using.
• Quarterly Review Checklist & Escalation Log Ready-to-use maintenance checklists and escalation logs to route Yellow and Red-flagged tools directly into a deeper review.

Why use this registry?

• Zero Complex Terminology: Written in basic, straightforward English so you or your team can complete and maintain the tracker immediately.
• Establishes an Ongoing Paper Trail: Shifts your compliance from a one-time checklist into an active, manageable system that scales with your business.
• Informed by Industry Standards: Built using structural principles consistent with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0).

Frequently Asked Questions

• How often should I update this registry? We recommend reviewing your registry monthly if your business uses five or more AI tools (or whenever a new tool is added), and conducting a comprehensive review quarterly at minimum.
• What should I do with tools that are rated Yellow or Red? Any tool that handles sensitive information, features unclear data terms, or poses higher risk should be immediately isolated and submitted for a full evaluation using The Vendor Approval Kit.