Think Before You Prompt: Using AI Safely

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly become part of our everyday lives, helping us write emails, answer questions, brainstorm ideas, and even make financial or business decisions. While these tools are incredibly useful, they should never replace good judgment.

The SANS OUCH! article shares the story of “Lena,” who relied on an AI chatbot for investment advice. Because the AI didn’t fully understand her financial situation, it provided recommendations that ultimately led to investment losses and tax penalties. It’s a reminder that AI can sound confident even when its advice isn’t correct for your unique circumstances.

Three Important AI Safety Tips

Protect Your Privacy
Think carefully before entering personal, financial, or business information into an AI tool. Depending on the service, your prompts may be stored or used to improve future AI models. If the information is sensitive, don’t share it unless you are confident the platform provides appropriate privacy protections.

Verify the Information
AI is designed to provide answers, but those answers are not always accurate. It can misunderstand questions, generate incorrect information, or present outdated facts with complete confidence. Always verify important information—especially when it involves finances, legal matters, healthcare, or business decisions.

Be Aware of Bias
AI learns from the information it was trained on, which means its responses can reflect limitations or biases in that data. It may also produce answers that seem agreeable rather than balanced. Use AI as a starting point for research, not the final authority.

The Bottom Line

AI is an excellent assistant that can save time, improve productivity, and help generate ideas. However, it should support your decision-making—not replace it. Use AI thoughtfully, protect your private information, and always verify important recommendations before acting on them.