Governance is often presented as a brake on innovation. The European Roundtable data suggests a more useful framing. Governance is not the opposite of progress. It is what allows progress to happen responsibly.

FM leaders operate in environments where mistakes can have significant consequences. Buildings, services, assets, workplace experience, supplier performance, data security, compliance and operational continuity are all affected by FM decisions. If AI becomes embedded in these decisions, weak governance can create real risk. Poorly governed AI could lead to insecure data practices, unclear accountability, biased outputs, overreliance on automation or decisions that lack human context.

At the same time, the notes show that participants were concerned about overrestriction. If leaders respond to AI only by creating barriers, organizations may fall behind, employees may use unsanctioned tools informally, and FM may lose the opportunity to shape AI in line with its own operational needs.

This is why psychological safety matters. Teams need to feel able to test AI, admit mistakes, challenge outputs and share learning. Without that culture, experimentation may either be hidden or avoided. Neither outcome supports responsible transformation.

Roundtable data also highlights the need for business continuity. As AI becomes more embedded in FM processes, leaders need to understand what happens if systems fail, outputs are wrong, vendors change, platforms become unavailable or data is compromised. Responsible momentum therefore requires both experimentation and resilience.