According to a recent Microsoft and LinkedIn Work Trend Index Report, three in four knowledge workers (75%) now use AI at work and 78% of those users are bringing their own AI tools to work.
And whilst the majority of leaders acknowledge AI adoption is important to stay competitive, 60% worry their company lacks a vision and plan to implement it.
Another recent article by the BBC suggests many users are using their own AI tools without the knowledge or permission of their IT department, raising important IT security questions and risks.
We talk to one of our own tech gurus, Simon Hall, about what to be aware of and how to manage BYO AI securely in the workplace.
Get the full picture
Be open with employees. Find out how many are using AI tools, what tools they’re using, what tasks they’re using the tools for and what data are they accessing with the tools. Once you’ve got the full picture, you can start to plan around it.
Research the tools being used
The famous phrase “you get what you pay for” definitely applies when it comes to AI tools. If users are using their own generative AI for work I would definitely be asking if the type of tech has been signed off, has it been tested in a dev environment, could it contain inbuilt malware / spyware and so on. This might be tricky to know, especially in the fast moving world of AI, but we can help with this bit. From there, you can establish a process of evaluating and approving AI tools being used by your team.
What’s the level of user experience?
No matter what AI you use, you need to use it wisely and safely. If users really don’t know what their doing or are new to the world of AI tools, the level of IT security risk increases I would adapt the level of company guidance accordingly.
Stick to the paid options
If you’re keen for your teams to embrace AI tools, my recommendation would be to use a paid for service such as Microsoft Copilot and make it available according to your new policy. The paid for service of ChatGPT is also good but I would say this is for more experienced users. Once you’ve established the tools you’re happy with, write up a list of approved AI tools and the different functions you’re happy for them to be used for.
Create a BYO AI policy
If you’re going to continue to allow BYO AI, create a clear policy outlining outlining which AI tools are approved for use, what types of data can be processed, and how these tools should be used responsibly.
If you’re worried about the IT security risks associated with BYI AI or want to embrace AI tools in the workplace but want to do it safely, our IT Support team are always able to help.