Key points:

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• Technology, including generative AI, saturates our lives, from pocket-sized computers to self-driving cars, shaping our daily experiences.
• Concerns over AI's impact on job security, societal fairness, and susceptibility to cyber threats reflect widespread unease.
• As AI integration deepens, maintaining cyber hygiene is crucial, including what sort of information you share with AI chatbots.

AI has promised world-changing innovation, but with the UK public fearful of its disruptive power, understanding and managing its impact on privacy and security becomes paramount.

It’s hardly a revelatory statement to say that technology permeates every facet of our lives. 

We walk around with computers in our pockets, cars are beginning to drive themselves, and maps are now an app, rather than big pieces of unfolded paper that seriously threaten even the strongest relationship as you both try to navigate to a hotel in the Cotswolds. 

And perhaps there’s no bigger technological innovator or disruptor than generative AI. With the recent establishment of Microsoft's AI centre in London, the conversation around AI's role in our lives continues at a breakneck pace.

AI and the general public

AI has promised seemingly everything; Unparalleled efficiency, automation of incredibly dull and repetitive tasks, and a helping hand with overstretched IT security teams like Microsoft Security Copilot. 

But there’s also a dark side to AI. Students are leveraging AI to do their work for them in universities, and it’s given the perennial threat of the phishing email a new lease of life, crafting phishing attacks that are fooling both human recipients and spam filters.

And that dark side is reflected in public attitudes towards AI. 

The “Public attitudes to data and AI: Tracker survey,” from GOV.UK shows among many other things that:

• 23% of respondents think that AI will put the UK at greater risk of terrorism and cyber crime.
• 31% of respondents think that AI will have a negative effect on how fairly people are treated in society.
• 45% of respondents think that AI will take people's jobs. 

AI’s public perception as a job threatening bomb that’s going to make everyone redundant probably  isn’t helped by the fact that companies keep hitting the news for laying off their staff and replacing them with AI powered tools, including Buzzfeed, Dukaan, and IBM.

AI isn’t going away

In the Webinar “Navigating Data Protection Laws with Confidence,” hosted by Metomic, we discovered that it isn’t just the general public that’s worried about the impact of AI: 

• Two-thirds of CISOs and IT security leaders say their top concern with generative AI is the threat of the technology being used to create a security breach. 
• More than half of the survey respondents said they are concerned about employees uploading sensitive business data to large language models (LLMs) that are used to train various generative AI platforms—a move that could potentially expose confidential business information and intellectual property. 
• Meanwhile, four-fifths of CISOs and IT security leaders plan to implement AI-powered tools to fight emerging AI-based security schemes and threats. 

And with Metomic's recently released 2024 CISO survey, we can see that 72% of US based CISO’s are incredibly worried that Generative AI will lead to breaches in their digital ecosystem.

While public apprehension about AI’s disruptive potential persists, it's becoming increasingly evident that the integration of AI into our daily lives is not merely a possibility but a reality we have to deal with. 

Businesses and business leaders have already decided that now that Pandora’s box is open, it's better to embrace AI head on, rather than ignore it, or be fearful of it.

Microsoft's new AI centre in London isn’t a flash in the pan. It’s a reminder of the burgeoning influence of AI technology, and signifies a significant step towards harnessing the potential of AI to drive innovation and propel us into a future where intelligent systems augment our capabilities and revolutionise industries. 

Cyber hygiene in an AI world

So, AI isn’t going anywhere, and you’ve decided that you’re going to embrace it with both arms. That’s great! Here’s the next question. How are you going to keep yourself safe as you do?

Most of us will interact with AI by using any one of the popular AI chatbots like Chat GPT or Google’s Gemini. And while these will give you the illusion of having a personalised conversation, it's vital to recognise that these chatbots are owned by private entities likely harvesting your data. 

As data security experts, we at Metomic recommend that if you want to maintain a high level of cyber hygiene, here are five things  you shouldn’t be sharing with an AI chatbot. 

1. Financial Details

Avoid sharing sensitive financial information with AI chatbots to prevent potential financial and legal risks. Remember that these interactions occur on platforms owned by private companies, which means caution similar to sharing such details with strangers is necessary.

2. Personal and Intimate Thoughts

Refrain from sharing personal or intimate thoughts with AI chatbots, as they are not equipped to provide the level of care and confidentiality offered by trained therapists. Moreover, sharing such information may raise legal and ethical concerns under regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.

3. Confidential workplace information

Treat AI chatbots like you would external parties when it comes to sharing confidential workplace information. Adhere to your workplace’s data security policies and avoid disclosing sensitive work details to mitigate the risk of breaches and potential legal ramifications.

4. Passwords

Never share your passwords with AI chatbots, treating them with the same caution as you would with strangers. Remember that AI chatbots are operated by private entities, and sharing passwords could compromise your data security.

5. Residential details and personal data

Exercise caution when sharing Personal Identification Information (PII) like your location or health details with AI chatbots. Recognise that these conversations take place within privately-owned platforms, and need careful consideration to protect your privacy. Familiarise yourself with privacy policies and refrain from sharing sensitive information to mitigate risks to your personal data.

Conclusion

The integration of AI technology into our daily lives presents opportunities, challenges, and a level of anxiety and uncertainty, particularly concerning privacy and data security. 

While AI chatbots offer convenience and assistance, it's crucial to approach interactions with caution and mindfulness of the potential risks involved. 

By refraining from sharing sensitive information such as financial details, personal thoughts, confidential workplace information, passwords, and residential details, individuals can proactively safeguard their digital privacy.

Ultimately, the responsibility lies with both users and developers to uphold ethical standards and protect individuals' privacy rights in the digital age.

Want to know how to protect your data while using AI chatbots? Download our ultimate guide to Chat GPT now, and see how Metomic can prevent sensitive data being shared with AI tools. 

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