AI can significantly boost productivity, but without strong guardrails, it can introduce security, compliance, and ethical risks. Employers need clear policies, employee training, and vetted platforms to ensure AI is used safely and effectively.
Policies, Procedures & Appropriate Use
- Employers should establish a formal AI policy outlining approved tools, acceptable use, and consequences for misuse.
- Amazon now requires some employees to demonstrate AI use to qualify for promotions, showing how quickly expectations around AI are evolving.
- Policies should also explain when AI is appropriate (drafting communications, summarizing information, creating first drafts, etc.) and when it isn’t, such as making final hiring decisions or handling confidential or sensitive data.
- With 42% of workers using AI secretly (“shadow AI”), unclear policies often push employees toward unmonitored usage.
- Mandatory human review of all AI-generated content, especially for sensitive or business-critical areas should be implemented as part of these policies.
Training, Responsible Use & Data Restrictions
- Employees must be trained on how AI works, where it’s reliable, its limitations, and potential accuracy or bias concerns.
- The U.S. Department of Labor recommends training employees to ensure AI is deployed safely and equitably at work.
- Accenture’s CEO reinforces that AI adoption must be paired with strong governance and ongoing employee training.
- Policies should explicitly prohibit entering proprietary, personal, financial, or customer information into public AI tools unless approved.
- Many organizations ban uploading confidential information into open AI platforms to prevent privacy or compliance risks.
Approved Platforms & Security Oversight
- Employers should clearly define which AI tools are approved, and set a review process for requesting new platforms.
- Best practices include choosing vendors that do not use company input data to train public models.
- IT and cybersecurity teams must vet AI systems for data retention, privacy practices, and overall security before approval.
- Real-world guidance emphasizes the need for regular audits and security reviews to ensure platforms remain compliant.
Moving Forward Responsibly
As AI becomes a standard workplace tool, responsible implementation is no longer optional, but strategic. Organizations that set clear expectations, provide effective training, and invest in secure, vetted AI systems will mitigate risk while empowering employees to work smarter and more efficiently. Thoughtful policies today lay the foundation for safe, ethical, and innovative use of AI tomorrow.
To learn more or get help developing a customized workplace AI policy, contact [email protected].