Artificial intelligence is becoming an essential tool for businesses, but new research shows that nearly 10% of employee AI prompts contain sensitive data. According to a report from CSO Online, users of AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini are unintentionally exposing personally identifiable information (PII), customer data, passwords, and even penetration test results. This raises significant concerns about corporate security and data privacy.

 

The Growing Concern: How AI Tools Are Used

AI-powered tools provide immense value by helping with content creation, data analysis, and automation. Many employees use AI to refine writing, summarize documents, and brainstorm ideas. However, the downside is that they often upload confidential documents without realizing the risks involved. Since AI models are trained using vast amounts of data, any sensitive information entered into them could be stored, processed, and potentially accessed by third parties, including competitors.

 

The Security Risks of AI Models

While 10% may not seem like a large percentage, applying it to millions of daily AI queries translates into hundreds of thousands of leaks. Since many AI companies operate independently of the businesses using them, there's no guarantee that sensitive information is safe. Worse still, some AI providers have been accused of questionable data collection practices, as seen in recent controversies involving Meta and Google.

 

One major issue is that AI models act as "mediocrity engines," generating content based on statistical probabilities rather than original thought. While AI can assist in drafting and refining content, it is not a substitute for professional writing, especially in creative fields like screenwriting. Many professionals use AI for idea generation, such as listing different ways a character could meet their demise in a film, but they draw the line at relying on AI for full scriptwriting.

 

The Privacy Risks Go Beyond AI Chatbots

Many businesses use tools like Grammarly for spell-checking and rewriting suggestions, but even these tools have faced security concerns. More advanced AI tools like Gemini and Copilot automatically scan files when they are opened, potentially reading confidential information without the user’s explicit consent. Additionally, Gmail has long been known to scan emails for advertising purposes, raising concerns about how AI-driven products may further exploit user data.

 

How Businesses Can Protect Themselves

Larger organizations may block AI tools unless they have established secure agreements with providers like Microsoft. However, small businesses have fewer options and need to be extra cautious. Here are some best practices to minimize risk:

• Disable AI features in sensitive documents – If possible, turn off AI-assisted features in word processors and email systems.

• Be mindful of what you upload – Before submitting a document for AI analysis, remove any sensitive or confidential data.

• Avoid relying on AI for business-critical operations – Use AI as a brainstorming tool, not for handling proprietary information.

• Train employees on AI security risks – Implement policies that define when and how AI tools can be used safely.