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AI Adoption and Data Security: Why You Can’t Have One Without the Other

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the headline technologies of the modern era. After all, AI is modern magic. It can do wonders for your business and unlock your company’s potential. Companies are taking note of this, and AI adoption is rapidly increasing.

However, one thing that can be massively overlooked is the role of security in AI adoption. After all, security is vital for every aspect of your business, including AI adoption.

In this blog, we will review the ins and outs of AI adoption and how you can ensure that data security is tight in your organisation’s cloud adoption. We’ll take a look at some of the best practices, as well as how you can get started today.

The Rise of AI in Business

Artificial intelligence (AI) is unmissable for any modern business. Its power is indisputable, from the ability to automate whole processes to simply having an omniscient work assistant that can do anything for you; AI is such a flexible tool.

There are so many benefits to implementing AI into your business, some of which include —

Why Data Security is Crucial for AI Adoption

Protection of Sensitive Information

AI runs on data. This means you’ll need to feed your AI data for it to work, which can be risky when not appropriately protected.

Using AI that uses sensitive data can make your information vulnerable because you are in one place. On top of this, failing to consider how the AI uses your data in the long term can lead to that data being leaked through the AI’s training data.

Compliance with Regulations

In addition, compliance regulations like GDPR are vital when using AI in your organisation. Misusing data in your organisation could be a breach of compliance, which could be problematic for your business.

Failing to comply with compliance can lead to penalties, up to litigation if your compliance breaches are serious. So, taking care here is vital.

Common Data Security Risks in AI Implementation

Access Control

Access control is vital for any security setup, especially when using AI. After all, with the potency of AI, anyone with access to your organisation’s AI can do a lot with a few prompts.

Data Loss Prevention 

Incorrect labelling of sensitive information can lead to data loss prevention issues. If sensitive data is mislabeled as less sensitive, it increases the risk of unauthorised access and accidental disclosure. 

This can result in data breaches, regulatory violations, and reputational damage.

Employee Misuse and Responsible Use

Employees using AI irresponsibly can also compromise information. After all, AI is powerful, and misuse of AI can lead to many of the above issues prevailing and becoming a problem.

Training your employees on the dangers of AI misuse and how to use AI responsibly will help reduce this, as it will reduce accidental misuse.

Best Practices for Ensuring Data Security in AI

Make Use of Sensitivity Labels

Sensitivity labels are vital for AI systems. They let you categorise data based on its level of confidentiality, meaning that you can implement controls to specific labels based on sensitivity to prevent access, disclosure, or misuse.

These labels can be applied manually, automatically, or even using a hybrid approach to mix both. This will allow you to label whatever you need quickly, however best for you.

Enforce Least Privilege Access Controls

The principle of least privilege is a vital approach to security in the modern world. It ensures that only those who need access to information for their work have access to their work, restricting access to anyone who doesn’t need to be able to access said data.

Using access controls to limit who can access different information, such as AI sensitivity labels, will stop anyone from accessing data they’re not meant to.

Provide Sufficient Employee Training

Employee training is vital. After all, ensuring your employees know the risks they can face and how to protect themselves will ensure that user error doesn’t lead to security issues and consequences.

This is especially important when it comes to AI. AI is a new concept, meaning that many people are unaware of the risks that it can bring. There’s a higher chance that someone uneducated will make a mistake that can lead to a problem. 

How We Can Help

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology taking over the business world. Businesses are rapidly implementing AI, and security is becoming a massive concern for companies worldwide. 

Knowing what to do regarding security and AI can easily prevent your business from having issues in the long run, from data leakage to compliance issues and beyond.

If you want to start with artificial intelligence but don’t know how to do so correctly, contact us now. We’re here to help and will ensure you have all the support you need to succeed in the long run.