1. Classify before you paste
Decide whether information is public, personal, confidential, regulated, or secret before placing it in an AI system.
2. Minimize
Replace real names, account numbers, addresses, and unique identifiers with neutral placeholders whenever they are not needed.
3. Check the destination
Know whether you are using a personal or approved workplace account, which tools or plugins are connected, and what retention settings apply.
4. Protect other people
Consent and confidentiality apply to information about colleagues, clients, patients, students, friends, and family—not only to your own data.
5. Review before sending
AI can accidentally reproduce sensitive details in drafts. Read the final output and remove metadata or private context before sharing it.