Because using smart tools shouldn’t mean ignoring smart policy.
AI tools are everywhere. Some may be approved by your organisation, some might be new, and some may slip into daily use without anyone noticing. But when employees start using AI casually, especially without clear guardrails, it can open up real risk.
5 Risks That Don’t Get Enough Attention
1. Data Leakage
Employees may paste sensitive info into public tools that log and store prompts (e.g., donor lists, draft press releases, internal notes). Don’t do this!
2. Brand Voice Drift
Auto-generated content can dilute your tone or lead to inconsistency across channels, especially when different teams use different tools.
3. Legal and Licensing Gray Zones
AI-generated images or text may unknowingly violate IP or misattribute sources.
4. Unvetted Outputs Shared Publicly
If someone posts AI-generated copy without review, factual errors can spread fast and it can damage your credibility. (**May 20, 2025 update: Chicago Sun-Times confirmed AI was used to generate summer reading list of real authors but fake books)
5. Ethical Reputation Risk
Using tools trained on biased data (or without consent) can backfire with stakeholders who value integrity and transparency.
What Comms Teams Can Do
- Create clear guidance: which tools are approved, what types of data are off-limits, and when human review is mandatory.
- Add an internal check: “Was AI used in this draft?” before publishing high-stakes content.
- Foster a culture of transparency: it’s okay to use AI, but it’s not okay to pretend humans wrote everything from scratch.
AI isn’t inherently risky, but unchecked use is. Let’s build policies that empower creativity while protecting trust.
