How to Use AI Safely in Your Business: A Practical Guide for 2025

AI in Everyday Work

At KubeNet, we've seen how quickly AI tools have become a part of our every day workflows. From writing emails and analysing data, to helping us generate ideas, AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Notion AI are transforming how teams work. In fact, recent research by McKinsey found that 78% of businesses are using AI across at least one business function.

There's no doubt that workplace AI tools are helping make our jobs simpler and boosting productivity. Many organisations, especially SMEs and mid-sized businesses across the UK, are using these tools without any formal guidance or policies in place. That same McKinsey study found that only 17% percent of businesses consider AI governance at a board level. While AI can make us work smarter and faster, it also poses new risks - especially when it comes to data privacy, compliance, and misinformation.

If your business is already using AI, or you're just starting to explore these tools, it's crucial to understand how to safely utilise AI to keep your business and data protected.

The Risks of Unsupervised AI Use

Using AI tools without having the proper safeguards in place can seriously expose your business to several risks:

1. Data Privacy Concerns

   Many free or public AI platforms store and use your input data to improve their models. This means sensitive information entered into these tools may be retained, shared or even reused - which risks violating confidentiality of your staff, clients, customers or other key stakeholders.

   
   

2. Regulatory Compliance Risks

   All UK businesses must comply with UK GDPR which comes with strict requirements for managing personal data. Similarly, certain industries - including legal, healthcare and finance - face their own additional regulations governing how client and patient data can be handles. Throw elective compliance standards, such as ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus, into the mix and improper use of AI could lead to loss of certification, costly fines, and reputational damage.

   
   

3. Human Error and Oversharing

   Adopting AI tools into every day business functions, such as drafting emails or analysing report data, makes it easy for employees to accidentally input sensitive or personal data. Customer names, financial details, or internal documentation are all far more at risk without any formal guidance or training in place.

   
   

4. Misleading Outputs or Misinformation

   People often take AI results for granted. The information is often presented factually and with an authoritative tone. However, this isn't always the case - AI can make mistakes too! AI-generated content may sometimes be factually incorrect - or in some cases, completely fabricated. Relying on these outputs without human verification could lead to communication errors, or bad information supporting key business decisions.

   
   

5. Security Vulnerabilities

   If you don't know how an AI tool is handling its data, then put simply your business is at risk. Using AI tools without understanding their data processing practices can open the door to a number of cyber security vulnerabilities - including data leaks or breaches. This is even more true if they don't comply with your company's security policies.

As a trusted technology partner, we see these risks regularly and advise businesses to treat AI tools like any other IT system - carefully managing access, use, and data privacy.

Where to Start: AI Safe Use Essentials For Business

If you're a business leader looking to keep AI use safe and effective, we have four key recommendations to get you started on the right foot:

• Audit your AI footprint: What AI tools are your employees already using across their day-to-day workload?

• Define your data boundaries: Clearly specify what information can and cannot be shared with AI systems.

• Review AI tool policies: Take time to research and understand how each AI provider handles your data, with a focus on identifying potential security risks.

• Set clear internal rules: Define acceptable AI use — what’s encouraged and what’s off-limits.

  
  

For employees and individuals, our advice is simple:

• Avoid entering personal names, financial figures, or confidential documents into AI tools.

• Use AI as a brainstorming or drafting tool only. Proof read and don’t rely on it for final communications.

• Always double-check and verify your AI outputs! Don't forget, it can sound authoritative even when it’s wrong.

Build an AI Policy - Without Slowing Innovation

One thing we want to make very clear is that you don't need to block all AI productivity tools in order to stay safe. A well-considered, thorough AI policy will allow your business to continue to innovate, while keeping risks under control. A strong policy should include:

• A list of approved AI tools

• Clear data handling and usage restrictions

• Defined roles and responsibilities for AI governance

• Procedures for reporting potential breaches or misuse

• Encouragement for teams to experiment — with oversight

To make this simpler for you, we've created a free AI policy starter checklist to help you build a policy that suits your business.

How KubeNet Helps Businesses Stay Secure While Using AI

At KubeNet, we understand security and governance. Our experience with ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus gives us a solid foundation for helping UK businesses securely integrate AI tools into their operations. We work closely with you to balance the desire for innovation with compliance obligations - offering tailored strategies, support in selecting the right AI tools, policy guidance, human risk management training and even supplying the right licenses for tools like Microsoft Copilot.

Partnering with KubeNet means making AI a safe asset in your business toolkit - not a liability.

Start Your Secure AI Journey

AI isn’t going away — and your business can’t afford to completely disregard it. But small missteps, like sharing sensitive client emails in public AI tools, can have big consequences.

Start small, set clear boundaries, and revisit your approach regularly. With the right guidance and policies, AI will become a trusted part of your business’s success story.

Ready to get started? Contact us today to learn more about secure, productive AI adoption and download our free AI policy starter checklist today.

Download your FREE AI safety checklist today