Abstract
This paper presents the Algorithmic Impact Navigator (AIN), a structured governance framework for the responsible development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. AIN offers a systematic, lifecycle-oriented methodology for identifying benefits, anticipating ethical and legal risks, and evaluating societal impact. It embeds ethical reasoning into design, implementation, and post-deployment monitoring, emphasizing reliability, safety, transparency, and human-centered values. The framework supports structured stakeholder engagement, explicit trade-off analysis, and rigorous documentation to enhance accountability and auditability. By aligning ethical principles with organizational strategy and regulatory obligations, AIN enables informed decision-making across multidisciplinary teams. The paper argues that ethical AI governance is not antithetical to innovation but rather foundational to sustainable and trustworthy technological progress. As AI systems increasingly influence social, economic, and institutional outcomes, frameworks such as AIN are essential for safeguarding individual rights, maintaining public trust, and ensuring long-term societal value.