DON’T BE COMPLACENT ABOUT AI COMPLIANCE

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane.

It’s December 2019. There are rumblings that a new virus is afoot, but we’re all blissfully ignorant of the seismic changes to come.

In the office, client meetings are still held in person, notes are handwritten and most firms rely on office servers. The pandemic changed all of that – remote working, video calls and cloud-based systems became the norm almost overnight.

More recently, AI has transformed the way we work for good and you must keep pace with developments or be left behind. However, change within a regulated environment is challenging and the implementation of new systems must be carefully managed from a compliance perspective.

This does not mean compliance is barrier to development. Technology can be embraced, but it must be implemented in a structured way to ensure client security is not compromised.

Choose the right AI service

Free or basic-tier AI platforms use your inputs to train their models and don’t provide robust security guarantees.

This means something as simple as a brainstorming session or client query could inadvertently end up in the AI training pool and potentially be exposed at a later date.

When you’ve settled on a service, always opt for a subscription tier membership or the business versions. They are built with reinforced privacy protections and ensure your data isn’t repurposed for model training.

Free versions are fine for non-confidential work, like generating ideas or looking up information, but when it comes to anything sensitive, it is worth investing in a paid plan to keep your business secure.

Privacy settings

No matter what AI tool you are using, you must implement robust security. Failure to do so could leave your data wide open.

So, what can you do to protect sensitive information? Make use of the privacy features available. Switch off chat history so your prompts are not stored, or regularly delete old chat logs you don’t need. The less you keep, the less there is to leak if things go wrong.

Weak passwords are the online equivalent of leaving your front door unlocked, so always use two-factor authentication, single sign-ins for business accounts and never share log-ins. Imagine what would happen if a former employee accessed your AI accounts because security was lax? If everyone has their own access, you know who is doing what and when.

Staff pose the biggest risk if they aren’t given clear direction on responsible AI use. One innocent mistake could expose confidential information to the world. So, before trying any AI service, assess and classify your data. Redact confidential sections, if necessary, and provide training on authorised systems so your team knows how to use them safely.

Just to make matters more difficult, unofficial AI tools and knock-off add-ons are springing up all over the place. If you’re not careful, you could let a virus into your system or lose data if you use untested apps, so stick to brand names you know and keep access codes private. That way, your information will be much safer.

Monitor and audit AI usage

Even top-notch, business grade AI tools aren’t fool proof. Staff might still do things that puts your data at risk. This is even trickier to manage if you don’t have a clear picture of what’s happening or you don’t talk about how these systems are being used.

Keep your eyes open and use monitoring options, such as audit logs, to spot unusual activity. Encourage your team to share how they use AI, so you can catch bad habits and update your policies before it’s too late. Don’t forget to review chat histories occasionally – regular oversight can prevent a small mistake becoming a major issue.

As an industry, we deal with so much personal data that you need to understand where it goes and how it is handled. Failure to do so could land you in trouble with the FCA, particularly if your AI provider isn’t GDPR compliant or stores data outside approved regions. This is another reason to choose trusted providers. Always double check their storage practises and if you’re nervous about US hosting, consider EU-based or self-hosted solutions to stay compliant.

Human oversight

AI is a powerful tool, but it is still in its infancy. That means it can produce incorrect or inappropriate results, so make sure staff understand that any outputs must be checked before being shared. Never assume something is safe or true because AI said so.

Providers can experience security incidents without warning, leaving you vulnerable. Make sure you know how to manage data or deactivate accounts in advance, monitor provider announcements and act fast. This might mean deleting sensitive conversations or temporarily pausing usage until the issue is resolved.

AI can be game changing, but it needs to be treated with the same caution as any cloud-based service handling your data. This is essential for successful and secure implementation. At B-Compliant, we’re already using it to create a podcast, write emails, search for documents and set up spreadsheets, all of which are timesaving.

We’re in a period of constant change and implementing AI can feel overwhelming, but burying your head in the sand isn’t an option. Emerging technologies can help us handle data more efficiently, but it is important to implement strong governance before adoption.

If you would like to know more about AI policies or how to assess the technology being used by your team, don’t hesitate to contact us on (0161) 521 8641 or email: info@b-compliant.co.uk

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