A responsible-use policy tells employees what they cannot do. A strategy tells the organization what it should do, and why.
Many organizations, understandably concerned about risk, have moved quickly to publish an AI use policy. This is a reasonable and necessary step. It is not, however, a substitute for an AI strategy.
A policy defines boundaries: what data can be used, which tools are approved, what requires human review. A strategy defines direction: where AI can create the most value for this specific organization, in what order those opportunities should be pursued, and how progress will be measured.
Organizations that stop at policy often find themselves with clear rules but no plan — employees know what they cannot do, but no one has identified what they should be doing instead. Strategy and policy need to be developed together, with policy constraining strategy rather than replacing it.