AI tools can be incredibly useful, but your data matters. Here are 10 things to check before sharing private information with an AI service.
AI tools can summarize documents, analyze information and help with work that once took hours. But the more useful a tool becomes, the more tempting it can be to give it information you wouldn't normally share publicly.
A little caution goes a long way. You don't need to avoid AI entirely. You just need to understand what you're handing over.
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Check Offer →Before pasting something into an AI system, ask whether it contains passwords, financial details, private conversations, confidential business information or personal identifiers.
If the tool doesn't need the information to complete the task, consider removing it.
Different AI services have different privacy policies and controls. Some may offer settings that affect whether conversations or data are used for improving services.
For example, Google's Gemini privacy documentation explains what information can be collected when users interact with Gemini Apps.
The answers can vary significantly between services, so don't assume every AI tool handles information the same way.
If you wouldn't comfortably send something to an unknown online service, don't casually paste it into an AI tool either.
AI privacy is becoming even more important as assistants become more capable of acting on behalf of users. Meta Muse is one example of the new generation of AI agents that can perform actions rather than simply answer questions.
Before giving an AI tool sensitive information, understand what data it receives, how it may be stored, who can access it and what controls you have.
