Waiver Authority

Waiver authority refers to the power, usually held by a designated official or body, to grant a formal exemption from a rule, requirement, or control that would otherwise apply. In AI governance, it matters because policies on model testing, data use, or deployment approval often include waiver provisions, and the question of who can approve a waiver, under what conditions, and with what documentation determines whether an exemption is a controlled risk decision or a quiet way around the rules. Compliance and legal teams should confirm that every waiver is recorded, justified, time-limited, and reviewed by someone with the right level of authority.

1 item

Corporate PolicyUS2026-10-22

DHS AI Waiver Authority Lets One Official Override Any Prohibition

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quietly updated its internal AI use directive, effective September 2026. The revision grants the agency's chief AI officer sole authority to waive any requirement in the policy, including prohibitions on large-scale surveillance, without independent review or an expiration date. The update also removes equity language and weakens the chief privacy officer's civil liberties role.

DHS federal AI policy government AI surveillance civil liberties AI procurement chief AI officer waiver authority