HR Rebooted Announces “Governance 1st” AI Governance Platform for HR

In a significant move that underscores the rising importance of responsible AI in the workplace, HR Rebooted has officially launched Governance 1st™, a groundbreaking AI governance platform built specifically for human resources (HR) professionals. The product is designed not just to help organizations adopt AI but to do so with clarity, structure, and ethical oversight.

Why This Matters: HR’s Role in AI Governance

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way businesses operate, but along with its potential for productivity and innovation comes a growing need for governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance. As HR functions increasingly intersect with AI, from recruitment and performance management to employee engagement, HR leaders are uniquely positioned to oversee that transformation responsibly.

Michelle Strasburger, founder and CEO of HR Rebooted, highlights that HR has a privileged role. According to her, while many organizations are working on AI governance (77%, according to an IAPP report), nearly half consider it a top-five strategic priority. By anchoring governance in HR, companies can ensure that AI adoption aligns with company values, supports employee trust, and mitigates organizational risk.

What is Governance 1st™?

Governance 1st™ is a SaaS (software-as-a-service) platform tailored for HR teams to develop, deploy, and manage AI policies. Here are some of its core features:

• Policy Templates & Frameworks: Pre-built templates and policy frameworks to help HR teams articulate responsible AI guidelines.
• Governance Strategy Roadmap: A seven-step AI roadmap guides organizations from strategy definition to training and enablement.
• AI Compass & Guardrails: Organizations can define guardrails, control mechanisms, and governance structures via the platform’s “AI Compass,” ensuring compliance, alignment, and risk control.
• Training & Enablement: Tools and resources to educate employees and leaders about AI usage, ethical considerations, and organizational policy.
• Audit & Compliance: The platform supports documentation, tracking, and reporting for AI use, making it easier for organizations to demonstrate governance and accountability.

Leadership Strengthening for the Launch

To support this launch, HR Rebooted has added two key executives:

• Kelly Cunningham joins as Chief Operating Officer (COO). He brings over 30 years of technical leadership and a strong background in software development.
• Rachel Weeks steps in as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). With more than two decades of experience in HR technology marketing, she will focus on go-to-market strategies and adoption of Governance 1st.

Michelle Strasburger expressed enthusiasm about their appointments, noting that their combined expertise will help HR Rebooted scale governance solutions while still centering the people dimension.

Expert Perspective: Why Governance by HR Is Critical

Brian Kosicki, SPHR and Founder of Upright HR, summed up the shift in organizational thinking: “The real test isn’t how we adopt AI, but how responsibly we sustain it … HR ensures that policy and usage align with critical security and compliance standards … employee trust and safety.” This viewpoint resonates deeply: as AI becomes pervasive, HR doesn’t just enforce policy; it cultivates trust, ensures integrity, and helps the workforce feel secure in adopting new tools.

Regulatory Headwinds Make Governance Urgent

With AI regulation gaining momentum globally, organizations are under pressure to not just be innovative but to be compliant. HR Rebooted’s governance solution arrives at a timely moment, offering HR teams a structured way to navigate evolving regulatory environments and internal risk frameworks.

Beta Program Now Live

HR Rebooted has opened a beta program for Governance 1st™, which began on November 12, 2025. Early adopters can register via the HR Rebooted website.

Broader Vision: AI Governance, Risk & Productivity

Governance 1st is not the only piece of HR Rebooted’s roadmap. According to the company, it plans to release additional modules:

• Prompt Lifecycle Management System (PLMS) — expected in Beta in Q1 2026. HR Rebooted
• AI Risk Management System (AI RMS) — providing oversight into risk, guardrails, and compliance, slated for Beta in Q2 2026.

This roadmap signals HR Rebooted’s long-term ambition: to make HR the anchor for AI governance, risk, and productivity across the enterprise.

Why This Could Be a Game Changer

1. Elevating HR’s Strategic Role: By positioning HR as the key driver of AI governance, organizations can align technology adoption with human values.
2. Mitigating Risk Early: With policies, templates, and oversight in place, businesses can reduce legal, ethical, and reputational risk associated with AI.
3. Driving Trust and Adoption: Employees are more likely to adopt AI tools when they feel the rules are clear, fair, and human-centered.
4. Scalable Compliance: As regulations evolve, a governance platform helps companies scale their compliance efforts without reinventing policy from scratch.
5. Sustainable Innovation: Rather than ad-hoc AI pilots, businesses can build a sustainable, governed AI capability that’s aligned with long-term business goals.

Conclusion

HR Rebooted’s Governance 1st™ marks a pivotal shift in how organizations manage AI at a human level. Rather than relegating AI governance to legal or IT functions alone, this platform empowers HR to lead ensuring that AI is adopted in a way that reflects organizational ethics, protects employees, and mitigates risk.

As more companies grapple with AI’s disruption, Governance 1st could become a blueprint for how HR professionals steer their organizations toward responsible, scalable, and trust-driven AI integration. With a strong leadership team and a clear product roadmap, HR Rebooted is positioning itself at the vanguard of AI governance in human resources.