Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming part of the everyday workday. Employees are using AI-powered tools to draft emails, summarize documents, analyze data, brainstorm ideas, and solve problems faster.
But as businesses embrace the productivity benefits of AI, an important question often goes unanswered: Do you know what company information your employees are sharing with these tools?
An employee might paste a customer email into a chatbot to help draft a response. Another might upload a spreadsheet to analyze sales trends or summarize a confidential document. These actions may seem harmless, especially when the goal is simply to work more efficiently.
However, without the right safeguards, even well-intentioned AI use can expose sensitive business information.
The hidden risks behind everyday AI prompts
When employees interact with AI tools, they may not realize that the information they enter could be processed or retained outside the organization’s approved systems, depending on the tool and its settings.
Consider the types of information employees might share without thinking twice:
- Customer information: Names, contact details, purchase histories, or other personally identifiable information (PII).
- Financial and business data: Sales figures, pricing strategies, financial reports, or confidential business plans.
- Internal documents: Contracts, employee records, proprietary processes, or sensitive communications.
- Technical information: Source code, system configurations, or other intellectual property.
The risk isn’t necessarily that employees are doing something wrong. It’s that they may not understand where their information goes, how it may be used, or whether the AI tool they’re using meets their organization’s security requirements.
And when employees use AI applications without the knowledge or approval of IT or security teams—a practice often called shadow AI—those risks become even harder to manage. Watch Michael Leison, Senior Director of Product Management, explain how shadow AI happens and how to reduce the risk.
Why AI usage policies aren’t enough
Many businesses have established guidelines for using AI in the workplace. These policies might identify approved tools, explain what information should never be shared, and outline expectations for responsible use.
That’s an important starting point. But policies alone can’t prevent every mistake.
Employees may forget the rules, misunderstand what qualifies as sensitive information, or simply move too quickly to recognize a potential risk. And with new AI tools appearing regularly, it can be difficult for security teams to maintain visibility into how they’re being used.
Businesses need more than written guidelines. They need practical safeguards that help employees make safer decisions in the moment. That’s where PDI Managed AI Prompt Protection comes in, helping organizations reduce the risk of sensitive information being shared through AI tools.
What is AI prompt protection?
This technology helps organizations identify and manage risks associated with the information employees enter into AI tools.
Rather than relying solely on employees to recognize sensitive data before sharing it, prompt protection technologies can help detect potentially risky interactions and apply appropriate safeguards.
Depending on the solution, these capabilities may include:
- AI usage visibility: Identify which AI tools employees are using, including applications that haven’t been formally approved.
- Sensitive data protection: Detect and redact confidential or personally identifiable information before it reaches external AI services.
- Real-time guidance: Alert employees when a prompt may contain sensitive information and help them understand how to proceed safely.
- Policy enforcement: Apply appropriate controls based on organizational requirements, employee roles, and the AI tools being used.
Together, these capabilities can help businesses reduce the risk of unintended data exposure while supporting responsible AI adoption.
Watch On-Demand: Secure Employee AI Usage Without Compromising Productivity
Michael Leison of PDI Technologies and Kyle Merrick of SentinelOne walk through PDI Managed AI Prompt Protection, a managed service that helps protect sensitive data without slowing AI adoption. Watch the 45-minute session on demand.
Protecting information without slowing innovation
AI offers meaningful opportunities to improve productivity, streamline workflows, and help employees focus on higher-value work. The goal shouldn’t be to discourage its use, but to create an environment where employees can take advantage of these benefits without putting sensitive information at unnecessary risk.
That starts with awareness. Employees need to understand that even a routine request to an AI chatbot can involve information that deserves protection.
Clear guidelines, ongoing education, and the right technical safeguards can help turn responsible AI use into an everyday practice.
The question is no longer whether employees are using AI. It’s whether your business has the visibility and protection needed to use it safely.
Make AI adoption safer with PDI
PDI Managed AI Prompt Protection helps businesses gain visibility into employee AI usage, protect sensitive information through real-time data redaction, and reinforce safer habits with contextual guidance. Backed by PDI’s 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC), the solution helps organizations manage AI-related risks without unnecessarily disrupting productivity.