August 25, 2025
The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) is undeniable—and for good reason. Innovative tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot are transforming how businesses operate. From generating content and handling customer inquiries to drafting emails, summarizing meetings, and even assisting with coding or spreadsheets, AI is proving to be an invaluable asset.
AI can dramatically enhance productivity and save precious time. However, without proper use, this powerful technology can introduce serious risks—especially concerning your company’s data security.
Even small businesses face significant threats.
Understanding the Core Issue
The challenge isn’t the AI technology itself but how it’s utilized. When employees input sensitive information into public AI platforms, that data might be stored, analyzed, or even used to train future AI models—potentially exposing confidential or regulated information without anyone realizing it.
For example, in 2023, Samsung engineers accidentally leaked internal source code into ChatGPT, creating a major privacy breach that led the company to ban public AI tools entirely, as reported by Tom's Hardware.
Now imagine a similar scenario at your company: an employee unknowingly pastes client financial or medical data into ChatGPT to "summarize" it, inadvertently exposing sensitive information in seconds.
Emerging Danger: Prompt Injection Attacks
Beyond accidental leaks, hackers are exploiting a sophisticated method known as prompt injection. They embed harmful instructions within emails, transcripts, PDFs, or even YouTube captions. When AI tools process this content, they can be manipulated into revealing sensitive data or performing unauthorized actions.
In essence, the AI unknowingly becomes an accomplice to cyberattacks.
Why Small Businesses Are Particularly at Risk
Many small businesses lack oversight on AI usage. Employees often adopt new AI tools independently, with good intentions but without clear guidelines. They may mistakenly treat AI like a smarter search engine, unaware that shared data could be permanently stored or accessed by others.
Additionally, most companies don’t have formal policies or training programs to guide safe AI use.
Take Control: Four Essential Steps
You don’t have to ban AI from your operations, but you must manage its use wisely.
Start with these four actions:
1. Establish a clear AI usage policy.
Specify approved tools, outline data types that must never be shared, and designate contacts for questions.
2. Educate your team.
Ensure employees understand the risks of public AI platforms and how threats like prompt injection operate.
3. Adopt secure AI platforms.
Encourage use of enterprise-grade solutions like Microsoft Copilot that offer enhanced data privacy and compliance controls.
4. Monitor AI activity.
Keep track of AI tools in use and consider restricting access to public AI services on company devices if necessary.
The Bottom Line
AI is an integral part of the future. Companies that master safe AI practices will gain a competitive edge, while those that overlook risks expose themselves to hackers, regulatory penalties, and more. Just a few careless keystrokes can jeopardize your entire business.
Let's have a quick conversation to ensure your AI usage safeguards your company. We'll help you develop a robust, secure AI policy and protect your data without hindering your team’s efficiency. Call us at (646) 989-9900 or click here to schedule your Business Technology Alignment Assessment today.
