AI board members: Will AI ever replace human judgement?

It started with curiosity. Then came experiments. Now, the question isn’t if AI belongs in the boardroom, but how far it should go.

The idea no longer sounds far-fetched. Machines can already sift through vast troves of data in seconds, model countless scenarios, and forecast risks with remarkable accuracy. For some, it’s tempting to imagine a future where decisions are generated, signed off, and executed by code.

Yet governance has never been just a numbers exercise. It rests on experience, on integrity, and on the human ability to weigh not just what a decision means, but why it matters. Those are qualities no algorithm can reproduce.

So, how should AI actually show up in the boardroom? Should it be a silent assistant in the background, or something more central? And where is the line between augmentation and overreach? 

In this article, we explore where this line lies, to understand the mechanics of how boards today and tomorrow can augment governance without removing human judgement. We’ll be covering: 

• What AI can do today 
• Why some believe AI board members could become a reality 
• The risks of over-reliance on AI in governance 
• How to get the balance right for your board

What can AI do in the boardroom today?

It’s no great secret that AI is already finding its way into boardrooms, not as a decision-maker, but as a quiet helper. Its real value is practical: helping boards manage the flow of work around meetings and making it easier to focus on the matters that need discussion.

Here’s some of what AI can already support boards with:

Improving the speed and quality of preparation  

Many directors face hundreds of pages of reports before every meeting. AI can summarise these materials, highlight the key points, and keep important details from getting buried . This doesn’t replace reading, but it makes the process faster and less overwhelming.

Managing routine, administrative tasks

Some of the work around board meetings is repetitive. Building agendas, sorting documents, and tracking follow-up actions all take time. AI can now handle much of the routine admin quietly , leaving directors free to focus on the conversations that only they can have.

Bringing greater structure to follow-up

Once meetings finish, there is always the question of what happens next. AI can help capture action points, organise them, and send clear reminders so nothing slips between the cracks.

Supporting (not making) decisions 

AI is often described as “intelligent,” but in a boardroom its role is closer to that of a skilled assistant than a fellow director. Rather than taking decisions away from directors, the value of AI lies in making board decisions better informed . 

Why some predict AI could sit on boards

The idea once sounded like a joke. Now it earns headlines.

When Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company appointed an AI system, Aiden Insight, as a board observer, it was not given power. No vote. No signature on resolutions. Yet its presence, feeding directors real-time analysis and recommendations, sparked a question that will not go away: how far could this go?

Why would anyone consider an AI board member at all?

Some see inevitability. They point to other fields that made the same shift. Trading, once ruled by instinct, is now dominated by algorithms. Newsrooms use AI to produce stories from data feeds. Law firms lean on it to draft contracts and predict outcomes. 

If AI can already do this elsewhere, why should the boardroom remain untouched?

Others see attraction, because AI has no ego, it doesn’t form alliances, and it isn’t swayed by politics or fatigue.

And then there's scale. AI can work through a decade of reports before lunch and still have time to scan the markets and digest regulatory updates before the meeting begins.

It’s easy to see the appeal. But what’s happening now is only exploratory. Aiden Insight’s appointment is not a revolution, it’s a signal, a sign that the door to the boardroom has been nudged open, and that the debate over how far to let AI in has only just begun.

What are the risks of AI over-reliance at the board level?

Hand too much over to machines, and boards risk losing control, clarity, and culture. Black-box decisions, missing accountability, and eroded debate can creep in fast. Without strong oversight, efficiency turns fragile, and boardroom dynamics start to unravel.

Deloitte, in its roadmap for AI governance, urges boards to go beyond the hype. While the tech brings power and potential, it also introduces risk, especially when oversight is weak or understanding is superficial. Boards must ensure the systems they use are auditable, explainable, and aligned with their organisation’s values.

The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance points out that while AI might transform board processes, it can’t replicate the moral judgement or relational dynamics that underpin effective governance. The risk isn’t that AI will take over, it’s that we’ll start expecting it to.

The more powerful the tool, the greater the need for scrutiny. It’s not just what AI can do, it’s how it’s used, and by whom.

What’s the right AI balance for boards?

For many boards, the question is no longer whether AI has a place, but how to use it in a way that reinforces their role rather than diluting it . When AI is positioned to support context, structure, and preparation, while directors remain responsible for judgement and outcomes, the balance becomes clearer.

Here are five guardrails that to help boards embrace AI confidently:

Keep judgement human
AI can process huge volumes of information, but it cannot weigh implications, understand sensitivities, or assess how a decision will be received. These responsibilities sit squarely with the board. Technology may assist with analysis, but interpretation must remain a human function.

As Yusuf Purna, a Chief Cyber Risk Officer, explains: “From my experience, framing AI as an enabler rather than a replacement is pivotal. The key is consistent communication: emphasise AI's role as a catalyst for growth, not redundancy. Inspire collaboration, and you’ll unlock a future where AI amplifies human potential.”

Use AI to create space, not distraction
The volume of board materials is growing. AI can reduce the burden by summarising reports, identifying relevant content, and flagging information gaps. This helps directors spend less time scanning and more time thinking, which improves both preparation and participation.

Let tools support the process, not define the outcome
AI can help track agenda items, log discussion points, and highlight actions that follow. It should not guide the substance of debate or present conclusions. The value lies in keeping the structure clean, not in influencing direction.

Support continuity, not repetition
Boards operate across long time horizons. Accessing historical decisions and tracking how positions have shifted over time can inform current thinking. AI makes this retrieval easier, but it is the board’s role to decide whether the context still applies or needs to evolve.

Choose systems that respect the work of the board
AI should feel like part of the board environment, not an add-on. It should support confidentiality, reduce noise, and make it easier for directors to focus. Sherpany’s approach reflects this principle, embedding AI features that lighten the load without introducing risk or complexity.

How Sherpany augments board capabilities with AI

For most boards, the real challenge with AI is adoption. Sherpany makes it easy to bring AI into board meetings by embedding practical features that improve how boards prepare, meet, and follow up. No technical training. No switching platforms. Just better meetings.

Here are four ways Sherpany’s AI features support better meetings today:

• Condense complex materials: With Sherpany’s Document Copilot, directors can generate concise summaries of lengthy reports. This allows board members to grasp the key points faster, focus their reading, and prepare more effectively — especially when time is limited or materials arrive late.
• Ask questions, get instant answers: Rather than searching through dense documents, directors can ask Sherpany’s AI questions like “What risks were raised in the audit report?” or “How does this quarter compare to the last?” The system scans the materials and returns context-specific answers — all within the same platform.
• Track and retrieve past decisions: Sherpany uses AI to help boards keep continuity across meetings. Directors can search for previous decisions, resolutions, or agenda items — and the system pulls relevant records instantly. It means discussions start with context already in place.
• Support minute drafting and follow-up: AI features assist corporate secretaries by drafting meeting minutes and highlighting action items based on what was discussed. This reduces administrative work after meetings and helps ensure nothing is missed when the board reconvenes.

These features aren’t bolted on. They’re baked into Sherpany’s secure meeting environment. This brings great clarity, reduced admin, and sharper focus for board members, all without compromising security or adding complexity. 

AI board members: Wisdom can’t be programmed (at least not yet) 

AI can inform. But it can’t feel, weigh values, or lead with integrity. The future of governance isn’t AI vs. humans, it’s smarter humans using smarter tools.

As boards face more complexity, pressure, and pace, technology will play a bigger role. But the heart of good governance stays the same: clear judgement, strong values, and collective accountability.

Boards with good instincts won’t hand the reins to algorithms. They’ll use them to see further, decide faster, and lead better, without losing what makes them human.

At Sherpany, we help boards strike that balance, blending human insight with digital precision to power confident decisions. As the conversation around AI board members accelerates, the boards that thrive will be those that stay grounded in purpose, and powered by insight.

Curious what that looks like in action? Book a free consultation and explore how Sherpany can support your board’s evolution, without compromise.