Welcome AI into your workplace with creativity and caution

Generative AI tools are now more and more integrated into the applications and services your organization already uses on a daily basis. What guidelines can you follow to make sure you use these generative AI features without compromising business information?

Review terms of service (ToS) and licensing agreements

Free AI models usually allow the use of inputs for training, meaning that the data you let the generative AI tool review may not stay private.

Paid models generally keep prompts within your organization’s tenant, which is what you want. But not always! (For example, Midjourney is designed as a content-sharing platform, so even images generated with paid accounts can be viewed by users who are not in your organization.)

Generative AI tools are still rapidly evolving, as are the businesses being built with them. Licensing and service agreements can and will change; stay informed.

Exercise discretion with sensitive data

Even in organizational silos, avoid letting AI tools review personally identifiable information (PII) or other confidential data. Use anonymized or sanitized data if possible.

Fact-check AI outputs for accuracy

Evaluate AI-generated responses for accuracy! AI is designed to sound right, not necessarily be right. Generative AI models may share false or misleading information, or have biased responses.

Continue to follow good general security practices

Policy updates and staff training should include guidance regarding the use of AI within your organization. Policies should outline permissible usage, data handling guidelines, and prohibited activities.

And while it should go without saying, don’t forget to ensure that accounts are secure! Having strong passwords and multifactor authentication (MFA) has always been a critical step for organizational security.

The age of AI is still in its nascent stages. As individuals and organizations increasingly integrate AI into their daily operations, a strong emphasis on security, data management, and staff training will be crucial. This proactive approach will enable your organization to fully leverage the benefits of this new tool while simultaneously mitigating associated risks.