How to stay safe when using AI tools
The safety concerns around AI fall into two categories: the real ones and the ones that make good headlines.
The real concerns
Your data:
Don’t paste sensitive or confidential information into consumer AI tools. Client data, financial data, personal data about colleagues — keep it out.
Accuracy:
AI tools get things wrong. Use them for drafts and thinking. Verify anything factual before you rely on it or share it.
Scams:
AI has made phishing emails and voice scams more convincing. Verify unexpected requests through a channel you control before acting.
Over-reliance:
AI is a thinking partner, not a replacement for judgment. Your expertise, your context, your relationships still need to be in the loop.
The less real concerns
AI becoming sentient and acting against your interests: not a current risk. These are tools that respond to instructions. They don’t have goals or agendas.
The simple rules
- 1.Don't paste in confidential information
- 2.Check facts before you rely on them
- 3.Keep your judgment in the loop
- 4.Verify unexpected urgent requests
- 5.Read your company's AI policy if it has one
That’s it. Five rules covering the genuine risks without making AI feel more dangerous than it is. For more on company policy and workplace use, see the dedicated guide.
— Anna
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