Businesses to Face a New AI Trust Test in 2027, OneTrust Predicts

New report outlines four predictions set to reshape AI governance, as organisations face growing pressure to strengthen assurance, oversight and accountability.

OneTrust, the AI-Ready Governance Platform™, has released its 2027 Predictions Report, Architecting AI Governance: Blueprints for a Moving Maze. The report examines how organisations will need to adapt AI governance as systems become more autonomous and embedded in business operations.

Drawing on insights from more than 20 global experts, the report presents four 2027 AI governance predictions. These focus on proving AI systems are trustworthy, defining authority for autonomous agents, reassessing approvals, and managing data-use permissions.

As AI systems handle more complex tasks, businesses will need governance that extends beyond initial approval. Organisations must also maintain control over what AI agents can do and who remains accountable for their actions.

OneTrust’s Four Key 2027 AI Governance Predictions

• AI assurance becomes a commercial gate: Organisations will increasingly need current, relevant evidence that AI systems meet assurance requirements. Buyers may require this evidence before agreeing to activate or expand AI capabilities.
• An approved AI agent can still take unauthorised action: Technical access does not automatically give an AI agent authority to perform a task. Organisations will need clearer limits on delegated authority, supported by monitoring and intervention processes.
• Material AI changes trigger new assurance events: Changes to an AI system’s capabilities, permissions or operating conditions will require reassessment. Organisations must determine whether existing approvals and supporting evidence remain valid.
• Data-use permissions become part of AI governance: Organisations will need to ensure customer choices about data use carry through to subsequent AI processing. Permission should not be treated as unrestricted access.

OneTrust’s 2026 AI-Ready Governance Report highlights the gap between AI adoption and oversight. According to the report, 87% of respondents say their organisations encourage AI agent use. However, only 47% report having clear governance, oversight and controls in place. A further 40% say these capabilities are still developing.

Blair Hasforth, Regional Vice President Sales, APAC at OneTrust, said: “Australian businesses are under pressure to realise the productivity benefits of AI, but adoption alone is not a measure of success. As AI agents become more capable and connected to business systems, organisations need to understand what they can access, what actions they can take and who is accountable for the outcomes.”

“An employee’s access to a system does not automatically mean an AI agent should have the same authority. Businesses need to be deliberate about the boundaries they set and the oversight they put in place, so they can continue to innovate without losing sight of accountability and trust.”

The report also challenges the assumption that more staff or static governance policies can adequately manage increasingly autonomous AI systems. Instead, it calls for adaptable governance models that respond to changes in technology, use cases and operating conditions.

Download OneTrust’s 2027 Predictions Report: Architecting AI Governance: Blueprints for a Moving Maze

About OneTrust

OneTrust, the AI-Ready Governance Platform™, enables innovation through the responsible use of data and AI. Trusted by over half of the Fortune 500, we help businesses govern well and move fast, turning responsible data use into a catalyst for growth. To learn more, follow OneTrust on LinkedIn or visit www.onetrust.com.