How to Stay Safe and Secure When Using AI Tools
Summary: A guide to the security and privacy risks of using AI tools in everyday work and personal life, covering what data AI systems collect, how to protect sensitive information, how to spot AI-generated scams and misinformation, and best practices for safe AI use.
AI tools have become part of daily life for a growing number of people — used for writing, research, coding, image creation, and a widening range of professional tasks. With that adoption comes a set of security and privacy considerations that are not always visible to users who are focused on getting things done. Understanding what AI systems do with your data, what risks exist when using them carelessly, and how to build safe habits is increasingly important for anyone who uses these tools regularly.
What Data AI Tools Collect
Most AI tools collect data about your interactions with them. The specifics vary by provider and are set out in their privacy policies — which few people read, but which contain consequential information about how your inputs are used. Many AI services use conversations to improve their models, which may mean that what you type into an AI tool is retained and reviewed, at least in some circumstances.
This has direct practical implications. Information you would not want retained or potentially reviewed — personal details, medical information, financial data, confidential business information, client data, or proprietary intellectual property — should not be entered into AI tools unless you have verified that the specific service you are using handles it appropriately. Enterprise versions of AI tools typically offer stronger data protection commitments and clearer assurances that inputs are not used for training. For personal or small business use, read the privacy policy of any AI service you rely on regularly and be deliberate about what you share.
Protecting Sensitive Information in Prompts
The most immediate security practice for AI users is treating your prompts as potentially persistent records. Do not include sensitive personal information — social security numbers, account numbers, passwords, private medical details — in AI prompts. Do not paste confidential client communications, legally privileged documents, or proprietary business information into a general-purpose AI tool without understanding how that data is handled.
If you are using AI tools for business purposes, establish clear guidelines for your team about what categories of information can and cannot be entered into AI systems. The risk is not that AI tools are malicious — they are not — but that the data governance around them is often less rigorous than for other business systems, and the casual ease of using them can lead to sharing information that warrants more careful handling.
Account Security for AI Services
AI services are software accounts like any other, and the same security practices apply. Use a strong, unique password for each AI service you use, stored in a password manager rather than memorised or reused across services. Enable two-factor authentication wherever the service offers it. Be alert to phishing emails that impersonate AI services — as AI tools have grown popular, they have become a target for phishing campaigns that attempt to steal login credentials.
If you use AI tools through a browser extension or a third-party application that requests access to other services, review what permissions it is asking for and whether those permissions are necessary for what the tool actually does. Broad permission requests from AI integrations — access to your email, documents, or account data — warrant scrutiny before you grant them.
AI-Generated Scams and Misinformation
One of the most significant security implications of widely available AI is not a risk to users of AI tools directly, but a risk from AI-generated content used against them. AI tools can now produce convincing phishing emails, realistic-sounding voice calls that impersonate known individuals (sometimes called voice cloning or deepfake audio), realistic fake images, and persuasive misinformation at scale and low cost. Recognising these threats is increasingly part of everyday digital literacy.
Phishing emails that once contained obvious grammatical errors and awkward phrasing — reliable signals that something was wrong — can now be produced in polished, natural-sounding language. The old advice to look for spelling mistakes is no longer sufficient. Instead, focus on the underlying request: legitimate organisations do not ask for passwords, financial details, or urgent wire transfers via email, regardless of how professional the message looks. When in doubt, verify through an independent channel — call the organisation using a number you find independently, not one provided in the suspicious message.
For AI-generated audio or video that appears to show a known person saying or doing something surprising, a degree of scepticism is appropriate. If you receive an unexpected audio or video message appearing to be from someone you know, making an unusual request, verify through a separate communication channel before acting on it.
Misinformation and Verification
AI tools generate plausible, fluent text — but plausible and accurate are not the same thing. AI systems can produce confident, well-structured responses that contain factual errors, outdated information, or fabricated details presented with the same tone as reliable facts. This is a known limitation referred to as hallucination. For any information produced by an AI tool that you intend to act on, share, or publish, independent verification through primary sources is essential.
This applies equally to AI-generated summaries of news events, medical or legal information, statistics, and historical facts. The ease of generating a confident-sounding answer does not correlate with its accuracy. Developing the habit of checking AI output — particularly on consequential topics — against authoritative sources is a fundamental safe-use practice.
Building Safe AI Habits
The practical approach to AI security is the same as the approach to broader digital security: be deliberate, be sceptical, and be aware of what you are sharing and with whom. Use AI tools in the knowledge that your inputs may be retained. Do not treat AI output as authoritative without verification. Maintain strong account security. Recognise that AI lowers the cost of producing convincing fraudulent content and adjust your scepticism accordingly.
For broader guidance on protecting your data and staying safe online, our article on how to protect your computer and data online covers security fundamentals in depth. For practical advice on evaluating whether online sources and content can be trusted, our guide to how to identify trusted websites applies directly to the AI-generated content landscape.
This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. Image for the topic of this page created with images from Pixabay.