Using AI Safely: Privacy, Accuracy and Copyright Basics

AI tools are powerful, but they need sensible guardrails. These basics will help you use AI confidently and responsibly.

Protect private information

• Don’t paste passwords, financial details or sensitive customer data into AI tools.
• Check each tool’s data settings, and turn off training on your data where you can.
• Use business or enterprise plans for company information when available.

Double-check the facts

AI can sound confident and still be wrong. Verify names, numbers, quotes and legal or medical claims with reliable sources before you publish or act on them. Tools that cite sources, like Perplexity, make this easier.

Understand ownership and copyright

Rules on AI-generated content differ by country and by tool. Read each tool’s terms, avoid prompting for copies of other people’s work, and get professional advice for important commercial uses.

Be transparent

When AI plays a big role in something you share, consider saying so. It builds trust with your audience and your team.

A quick checklist

• Is any private data in my prompt?
• Have I verified the key facts?
• Am I allowed to use this output the way I plan to?
• Would I be comfortable explaining how this was made?