As a business owner, a good question to ask is, how many of your employees used an AI tool at work this week? Does your business have an AI policy? AI has already woven into the tools your teams use every day, from Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace to customer service platforms, coding environments, and even your inbox. People are naturally curious about tools that make their jobs easier, and AI genuinely does that.
However, do you know what data your employees are imputing into AI? Or what about the outputs that are likely being trusted potentially without verification? This is where (from an IT perspective) we can help. Your employees need to be told where the lines are, and this is what an AI policy does.
An AI Policy
A formal AI policy isn’t about slowing things down or telling your team they can’t use these tools. Done well, it does the opposite, it gives people the confidence to use AI effectively, knowing they’re doing so within boundaries that protect them and the business.
A solid policy should cover:
- Approved tools: which AI platforms are sanctioned for business use, and which aren’t. Some tools store your inputs, train on your data, or lack the enterprise-grade security controls your business needs. Your IT provider can assess and maintain an approved list.
- Data handling rules: what information can and cannot be entered into an AI system, particularly anything client-related or commercially sensitive. From an IT standpoint, this also means understanding whether the tool processes data outside the UK or EU, which carries its own compliance implications.
- Output accountability: making clear that AI-generated work must be reviewed, verified, and owned by a human before it goes anywhere. IT teams should also be aware of AI being used in automated workflows or scripts, where unchecked outputs could affect live systems.
- Transparency expectations: when and how to disclose that AI has been used, whether internally or with clients. Some AI tools request surprisingly broad access to your files, emails, and calendars.
- Security considerations: how AI tools interact with your existing systems, and what your IT provider needs to know about them. This is something that should always be reviewed by your IT provider before deployment.
- Incident reporting: If an employee suspects that sensitive data has been compromised through an AI tool, there should be a clear process for reporting it. This sits alongside your wider cyber security policy and ensures issues are caught early.
That last two points matters more than most businesses realise. AI tools don’t exist in isolation, they integrate with your infrastructure, and they can introduce vulnerabilities if they’re not assessed properly. Regulation around AI is moving, slowly by political standards, but it’s moving. Our clients are starting to ask us how to protect their data from AI. Having a clear, considered AI policy isn’t just about managing risk. It’s a signal to clients and your team that you take security seriously.
How Cambridge Support Can Help
If you don’t have an AI policy yet, please feel free to get in touch with our team and we’ll be happy to help your business stay secure online. We have decades worth of experience in supporting businesses with their IT. ask@cambridgesupport.com
