Last updated: 8 November 2026
Yes, if the business decides which tools are allowed, which data must stay out, and who approves new ones. The biggest risk is rarely the tool you chose. It is the free account someone signed up to without telling anyone.
Use business plans, not free personal accounts
Free personal accounts give you no say over where data goes or who can see it. Business and team plans let you set data handling terms, manage users and switch tools off when someone leaves.
Set three simple rules
- Name the approved tools and the plan level for each.
- List the data that never goes in: customer personal data, contracts, passwords, health or financial records and anything under an NDA.
- Say who to ask before connecting a tool to email, SharePoint or Teams.
Check what comes out
AI can sound certain while being wrong. Treat the output as a first draft from a new starter. The person who sends or publishes it stays responsible for it.
Find the tools nobody approved
Meeting recorders, browser add-ons and free chatbots tend to appear without a decision. A short review of what staff already use is the best first step, because you cannot set rules for tools you do not know about.
Tell your insurer
Ask your broker to confirm that a new AI tool does not affect your cover. Policies differ, and some ask about AI use at renewal.
Quick answers
Do we need to ban AI?
Usually not. A ban tends to push use out of sight. Clear rules and approved tools work better.
Does using Microsoft Copilot make this safe?
It reduces some risks because it sits inside your Microsoft 365 tenant, but it still sees whatever a user can see. Tidy permissions first.
Want to know which AI tools your staff already use? Book a free 20-minute call.
Related answers and guides
- Is it safe to connect AI tools to Microsoft 365?
- Do we need an AI acceptable use policy?
- AI agents: a security risk for business
- ABCOM AI guidance notice for clients
- All ABCOM FAQs
Sources and further reading
Related questions
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