The artificial intelligence governance ecosystem is maturing and rapidly expanding in tandem. While the scope of AI governance activities continues to evolve, it has become increasingly clear there are a broad range of stakeholders working to advance the various processes and practices across the AI governance value chain. Some of these roles, such as developers, deployers, integrators and distributors, have been identified and defined in AI legislation. However, when we work with organizations to understand their AI governance processes, it is apparent there are many more stakeholders involved. Understanding all these roles and their relation to one another is often a topic of discussion within the AI governance community. To better understand these crucial relationships and their impact on the various AI governance functions, we have created this diagram to identify the different stakeholders and their relationship to one another within the AI governance ecosystem.

Missing from this diagram are the venues where these actors come together, namely conferences like the IAPP’s AI Governance Global, summits and workshops. These are important fora where leaders convene to discuss issues and best practices. These events have led to significant changes in policy directions. The diagram captures this as an important aspect of the AI governance ecosystem, as these venues are forums where stakeholders meet and would not be captured in an AI governance process.

This resource models this ecosystem as it stands in early 2025. It was created through referencing several AI governance frameworks, passed and proposed legislation, and reports from international organizations. Other terms were created based on discussions with organizations that have implemented robust AI governance programs. Additionally, several experts in the AI governance field were consulted throughout the resource's the development. As AI governance still takes many forms within organizations, feedback is always welcome for future iterations.

Additionally, the IAPP has an AI topic page that is regularly updated with the latest news and resources.