Imagine employee sends a customer list to an AI tool using a personal account. The list includes names and phone numbers. If the company did not allow this, a manager needs to find out what was sent and how the information is being kept. The company also needs to check whether it must take further action under privacy law.
Both examples start with someone trying to finish work faster. Fixing the mistake can take time away from serving customers. It can also mean extra work, customer complaints and costs the company did not plan for.
These problems are easy to overlook when:
- You know staff use AI, but have not set any rules. Each employee decides what to share and when to check the answer.
- You see the finished work, but not what staff sent to the tool. A clear customer reply may have started with a full complaint containing private details.
- You assume a paid subscription is enough. You still need to decide who manages the account and what information staff can use.
Waiting leaves staff making these decisions on their own. A manager may only discover the problem after a file has been shared or a customer has received the wrong information.
This article is for owners, directors and managers of Malaysian small and medium-sized businesses, or SMEs. It covers ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini and tools that record and summarise meetings. It explains how to use AI safely at work, with examples of what managers should check and what rules staff need.
Table of Contents:
Key Takeaways
- Find out which AI tools staff use. Include personal accounts and AI features inside office apps.
- Tell staff what information they can share. Give clear examples, such as public brochures, customer records and supplier prices.
- Choose the account the company will use. Decide who can change its settings and remove staff access.
- Ask someone to check important work. Check prices, figures and promises before sending them to customers.
- Give staff one person to contact. They need to know who can answer questions and handle mistakes.
What Has Happened At Other Companies?
How To Use AI Safely At Work
Write The Rules Down So Staff Can Follow Them
An AI acceptable use policy is a document that tells staff how they can use AI for work. Keep it short. Name the tools and accounts they can use, the information they must not share and the person they should contact.
Use examples from your own teams. A rule such as “Use a made-up customer example when asking AI to improve an email” is easier to follow than “Be careful with data.”
When someone asks, “Is it okay to use ChatGPT at work?”, the document should give them a clear answer. Give the same clear instructions for other tools. If the document does not cover their task, tell them which manager can decide.
What Should You Do If Staff Have Shared Information By Mistake?
Tell staff who to contact as soon as they think they have made a mistake. Ask them to stop sending the information and note which tool and account they used, what they sent and when.
The manager handling the report should find out what happened and get security or privacy help where needed. This includes checking whether the company must tell affected people or the authorities. Check whether any copies are still saved and how to remove them.
How Qubeapps Can Help Protect Your Company’s Information
AI in the workplace needs clear rules and the right security measures. Your staff should know what they can share, which account to use and who checks important work.
QubeApps’ Cyber Security Solutions include checking for security risks, controlling who can use company systems and training staff to recognise security problems. These services help businesses improve how they protect company information.
Contact QubeApps to discuss a security review and staff training for your business. Tell us which AI tools your team uses and whether staff work with customer records, quotations or meeting recordings.
