Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming part of everyday business operations. Employees are using AI tools to draft emails, summarize documents, analyze information, create marketing content, write code and improve productivity. While these tools can provide tremendous value, they can also introduce new cybersecurity, privacy and compliance risks if they are used without clear guidelines.
From our perspective as cybersecurity professionals, businesses should approach AI the same way they approach any other technology that accesses company information: with security, oversight and defined policies in place.
Understand What Employees Are Sharing
One of the biggest concerns surrounding AI is data exposure. Employees may unknowingly enter confidential information into public AI platforms, including customer data, internal documents, financial information, passwords, proprietary processes or other sensitive business data.
Organizations should clearly define what information employees can and cannot enter into AI tools.
- As a general rule, sensitive or confidential information should never be entered into an unapproved AI platform.
Establish an AI Acceptable Use Policy
A Responsible AI Policy begins like any other policy — with clear expectations. Businesses should develop an AI acceptable use policy that identifies approved tools and explains how employees may use them:
- Approved and prohibited AI applications (i.e. ChatGPT, Claude AI, Microsoft CoPilot, etc.)
- Types of information that cannot be shared
- Requirements for reviewing AI-generated content
- Copyright and intellectual property considerations
- Privacy and regulatory requirements
- Procedures for reporting questionable AI activity
These guidelines help prevent “shadow AI,” where employees begin using unauthorized applications without the knowledge of management or IT.
Always Verify AI-Generated Information
AI tools can generate inaccurate, outdated or misleading information. Employees should never assume that an AI-generated answer is automatically correct. Human review and adjustments remain essential, particularly when AI is being used for financial decisions, customer communications, technical recommendations, legal matters or cybersecurity-related tasks.
Secure AI Like Any Other Business Technology
Organizations should also evaluate the security controls surrounding AI platforms. Consider identity management, multifactor authentication, access permissions, data retention policies, integrations, and vendor security practices before allowing an AI solution to access company resources.
Your MSSP can help assess these risks and determine how AI tools fit within your existing cybersecurity framework.
Use AI Responsibly
The goal shouldn’t necessarily be to prevent employees from using AI, but rather to create a secure environment where they can use it responsibly. With a Secure Use AI Policy, businesses can take advantage of AI’s benefits without unnecessarily increasing their cybersecurity risk.
Need help developing secure AI policies for your organization? Contact Fortifi Cyber Security to evaluate your current AI usage and build guidelines that balance innovation, productivity, and cybersecurity.
