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10-Minute AI Safety Check for Firms
A simple guide for safe AI use in firms.
You do not need technical knowledge to use this checklist.
Answer each question honestly. If you answer “No”, that’s your action point.
Do we know where AI is being used?
→ Do we know which AI tools people are using for work?
→ Does this include free tools or personal accounts used during work time?
→ Do we know what people use AI for (emails, reports, analysis, admin tasks)?
Why this matters?
You can’t manage risk if you don’t know what’s being used.If unsure: Ask staff directly and make a simple list.
Do staff know what NOT to put into AI tools?
→ Do staff understand that public AI tools may store or reuse what they type in?
→ Have we clearly told staff never to put the following into AI tools:
-
- Personal data (names, emails, phone numbers)
- Client or customer information
- Financial or HR information
- Passwords or system details
- Anything confidential
Simple rule:
If you wouldn’t put it on your website, don’t put it into an AI tool.
Are staff checking AI output before using it?
→ Do staff know AI can sound confident but be wrong?
→ Is AI generated content always checked by a human before being shared?
→ Do we avoid copying AI output straight into emails, proposals, or documents?
Why this matters:
AI can make mistakes, invent facts, or miss important context and your business owns the result.
Are we keeping humans in charge?
→ Are important decisions still made by people, not AI alone?
→ Do we avoid using AI to make final decisions about:
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- People (jobs, performance, recruitment)
- Money (pricing, credit, payments)
- Legal, medical, or financial advice
→ Is there always a person responsible for the outcome?
Bottom line:
AI can help. But people remain accountable.
Do staff know the basic rules?
→ Have staff been told what AI is okay to use for work?
→ Do they know who to ask if they’re unsure?
→ Is AI use covered by our general acceptable use or security rules?
→ Would a new starter understand our AI rules on day one?
If not:
A short-written policy and this checklist is enough to start.
Quick Final Check
Answer Yes or No:
→ Would we be comfortable explaining our AI use to a customer?
→ Would we be comfortable explaining it to a regulator?
→ Would we be comfortable seeing it in the news?
If any answer is No, review the steps above.
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