Generative AI can help a team summarize notes, draft a first pass, or organize information. The risk often begins with a simple habit: someone pastes a work document into a tool before checking what the document contains or how the tool handles it.
You do not need a 40-page policy to start. A short set of practical rules can help employees use AI productively while keeping confidential information, customers, and coworkers in mind.
Make a short list of information employees should not paste into an unapproved AI service. Common examples include passwords and access keys, customer or patient details, financial account information, personnel records, confidential contracts, and internal documents marked restricted. Use fictional or de-identified examples when testing a prompt.
Be specific about edge cases. A prompt can reveal sensitive information even when it omits a name: a combination of dates, job titles, locations, and unusual circumstances may identify a person or project.
“Use AI responsibly” is hard to follow if nobody knows which tools are approved. Identify the services employees may use for work, the account type they should use, and whether they can connect those tools to company files, email, or other apps.
Before approving a tool, have the right people review its data handling, account controls, access settings, and terms. The details vary by product and plan, so don’t assume that a work account and a personal account offer the same protections.
AI-generated text can sound polished while still containing mistakes, missing context, or made-up details. Assign a person to check names, numbers, dates, calculations, citations, and any claim that could affect a customer or business decision. Follow important source links and confirm that they actually support the statement.
For higher-impact work—such as legal, HR, financial, security, or customer communications—set a clear approval step before anything is sent, filed, or acted on.
Decide which uses can be routine and which require review. An AI tool may help draft a response, but an employee should own the final message. It may help summarize a meeting, but someone who attended should check whether decisions and action items are accurate.
Write down who approves AI-assisted work in important workflows. That makes responsibility clear when a prompt, output, or connected system causes confusion.
Choose a low-risk, repetitive task—such as turning a public product description into a first-draft FAQ. Set a baseline: how long does the task take today, and what quality checks are required? Try the AI-assisted version with a small group, review the output, and compare the time saved with the extra review it needs.
Pause or adjust the workflow if employees are sharing information they shouldn’t, the answers need extensive correction, or the process creates more work than it removes. A useful pilot should have an owner, a defined input, a reviewer, and a clear reason to continue.
Put the approved tools, prohibited information, review requirements, and escalation contact in a short guide employees can find easily. Revisit it when the tools or the work change. NIST’s Generative AI Profile offers a broader framework for identifying and managing risks across the development and use of generative AI systems.
If you’re planning a business AI workflow, talk with Technic about practical AI solutions for your organization. Start with the task, the data it touches, and the people who need to review the result.
