Are you unintentionally sharing your own or your client’s confidential information with AI?
Some AI features are on by default. Just today I was looking at a Google doc and noticed the summary on the side. In order to make that summary, Gemini had to read that document.
You should check that, and you might want to turn those features off. (I have, but I trust Google as much as I trust a cross-eyed rattlesnake.)
If you’re seeing document summaries, if you’re using writing, spelling, or grammar assistants, or if AI is creating meeting notes … those tools are reading your documents and/or listening to your discussions.
Sure, it’s convenient, but does it protect confidentiality and copyright?
Any tool that’s offering you “AI features” is reading your stuff, which means you don’t have complete control over it.
You may already be in violation of confidentiality agreements.
The tools themselves may give you vague assurances like “we don’t train on your data,” but even if that’s technically true (I’m skeptical), your data may still be processed, stored, or reviewed in ways you don’t want, and wouldn’t want to have to explain to a client, to an investor, or in a court.
A note for event planners.
This same issue extends to events: speakers, slides, recordings, transcripts, and attendee AI note-taking all raise unanswered questions about ownership, consent, and downstream use that planners can no longer ignore.
Should you tell your attendees not to use AI tools while they’re at your event? Does using them violate any of your rights, or the rights of your speakers?
