Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of everyday business operations. From drafting emails to analyzing data, tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot are helping teams move faster and work smarter. But with that increased productivity comes a growing concern: What happens to the data you share with AI?
***Record Scratches***
Could you tell the intro was “written” by AI? In some cases ( maybe that one), you can sense AI generation. But as AI tools become ubiquitous throughout companies, so too does the risk of AI usage to the detriment of your business data.
Nearly half of all employees hide their AI use at work, according to one study—a terrifying stat that should bring business owners to a halt.
That means one of your most important jobs right now is to understand both the risks of using AI and how to protect your business data.
What You Risk When Using AI Tools
First, let me be clear: It isn’t wrong to use AI tools. We have to be realistic; AI is not going anywhere… nor should it! There are many use cases where AI tools add value, save time and money, and improve productivity.
While we can benefit from using AI tools, problems compound when there is not clear intent or oversight of them.
In a widely cited example from 2023, engineers at Samsung entered proprietary source code into an AI tool. Later, they were dismayed to learn that the proprietary data they’d plugged in became part of the model’s (openly accessed) training pipeline. As a result, Samsung banned the use of that AI tool across its network entirely.
Though that incident happened early in the AI boom, the risk for business data to be misused by and with AI tools has only increased. As employees use AI tools daily — often without fully understanding how the data is handled — the risk goes beyond training models.
Instances where AI platforms have experienced data leaks or exposed user conversations are documented. In the case of your business, a leak or exposed conversation could result in any data entered (customer data, financial information, strategy, etc.) potentially becoming public.
A Practical Approach for Small Businesses To Manage AI
Banning AI altogether might be the safest option, but it’s simply not practical. Instead, a better approach is to channel usage and keep your team informed. Here’s what I suggest:
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1. Inform your employees of the risks of AI.
Most likely, your employees aren’t trying to harm your business by using AI. They’re trying to be more productive, i.e. pasting spreadsheets into AI tools to clean data or asking AI for help in drafting reports faster, etc..
In most cases, they simply don’t realize the risks of using AI tools. As a result, they may unintentionally expose sensitive information. So the first step is to inform them of what could go wrong so they are aware of the issue.
2. Research AI tools and sanction one for workplace use.
Most AI platforms follow a similar structure when it comes to data use for training purposes:
- Personal (free or “pro”) plans typically use your data for training unless the user manually opts out. Note that these policies can change periodically, which may necessitate checking your settings fairly frequently.
- Business plans typically default to not using your data for training, offering a much safer environment.
- Enterprise plans also typically default to not using data.
The takeaway: In personal plans (even if you’re paying for it), you must actively seek out and turn on the option to opt out of data training. If you’ve got a 30-person company and everybody’s using their own personal plans, that can be very hard to manage.
Many businesses already have access to secure AI tools through platforms like Microsoft, Google, and more. I recommend Microsoft 365, which includes an AI tool called Copilot that has security controls built in. Choose one approved platform for your team to use and start simple, with the free plan. Once a few employees become more advanced users, consider moving to business-tier plans for added protection.
3. Monitor and guide employees.
Keep an eye on usage patterns and have conversations with employees to ensure they’re sticking with the designated tool. You can implement a CASB or DLP program to ensure your employees are following the guidelines you set in place.
The sobering truth: Once your business’ sensitive data is entered into an AI model, there’s no reliable way to get it back. For that reason, your entire team should be trained to never put anything into an AI tool that shouldn’t be exposed publicly.
Final Thoughts
AI is only going to become more powerful and more embedded in daily business operations. It will increase your team’s productivity, reduce manual work, and unlock new efficiencies… but it will also expand your risk surface if you don’t manage its usage intentionally, securely, and with clear boundaries.
If you’re concerned your team may be exposing sensitive data through AI, or you need a clear blueprint to manage AI tools responsibly throughout your business, let us help. We can help you audit your current setup and put the right safeguards in place so your team can get all the benefits of AI without the risk of data exposure.
