Using Conversational AI at Work: What Business Owners Need to Know
Protect your business from AI risks with smart policies, training, and vendor checks—stay secure while embracing innovation.
Conversational AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful in the workplace, but they also come with potential cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance risks. To protect your business, here’s a quick guide on using these tools safely and responsibly.
Understand the Risks
Conversational AI can feel like a human assistant—but it’s not always secure. Sharing the wrong information can create big problems.
Data Exposure: Anything entered may be stored or used to train the tool.
Security & Privacy: Confidential business info, client data, or internal conversations could be at risk.
Copyright Issues: AI-generated content may unintentionally include protected or licensed material.
Set Clear Usage Guidelines
Limit what employees can input into AI tools. Make sure they never share:
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Financial or health-related data
Confidential business info or trade secrets
Intellectual property, code, or unreleased products
Internal communications or legal documents
Customer or third-party data
Login credentials or security details
Check Legal and Contract Obligations
Ensure AI usage doesn’t violate contracts or NDAs.
Be aware of privacy laws—especially if customer data is involved.
Educate Your Team
Train employees on the safe use of AI tools. Reinforce:
What’s okay to share (and what’s not)
Your company’s policies and expectations
Know Your Vendors
If you’re using AI tools from third-party providers:
Review their data handling and security practices.
Have proper agreements in place to protect your business and stay compliant.
Monitor and Review Usage
Keep tabs on how these tools are being used:
Limit access to essential team members
Use monitoring software, if possible
Schedule regular reviews and audits of AI use
Be Proactive
AI tools are evolving fast—stay ahead by:
Reviewing policies regularly
Documenting employee training, audits, and updates
Keeping up with new regulations impacting your industry
Conversational AI can be a powerful tool, but it must be used wisely. By taking the right precautions, you can protect your business while embracing innovation.
If you have questions about protecting your business data or need support navigating AI tools, your FAIRWINDS Business Team is here to help.
Some information in this article was sourced from eFraud Prevention™, a resource for cybersecurity education and best practices