AI Assistants and Privacy: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe

AI assistants are powerful precisely because they have access to your information. This creates legitimate privacy concerns that deserve serious consideration. Understanding how your data is used—and how to maintain control—is essential for responsible AI adoption.

Start with data residency and processing. Where is your data stored? Who can access it? How long is it retained? Reputable AI platforms are transparent about these questions. Look for providers that don't use your data to train models without consent, offer data deletion options, and provide clear privacy policies in plain language.

Practical safeguards matter too. Use AI assistants for appropriate tasks—summarizing public information is different from processing sensitive financial data. Understand what information you're sharing and with whom. Many platforms offer enterprise-grade security features even for individual users; take advantage of encryption, access controls, and audit logs when available. Privacy and productivity aren't mutually exclusive—but they require conscious choices about which tools you trust with your information.