AI Safety & Trust: How to Use AI Without Jeopardizing Client Privacy
You already know how to protect client information — using AI safely is just applying those same careful instincts to new tools.
👋 Welcome back to Bite Sized Bots!
If you’ve ever paused before dropping client details into ChatGPT, you’re in good company. Many business owners worry: “Am I putting trust at risk by using AI?”
The good news: protecting client data with AI isn’t complicated. It’s simply an extension of what you already do — choosing good vendors, setting up tools properly, and keeping sensitive details out of the wrong places.
What’s Inside This Issue
Why AI privacy feels scary (but doesn’t have to be)
Simple “safe vs. risky” rules for prompts
How to pick AI tools you can trust — with specific privacy settings to check
Quick client-facing guidance you can borrow
Why This Feels Scary (But Doesn’t Have to Be)
Client trust is the backbone of your business. No wonder the headlines about AI and data misuse feel unnerving.
But you already know how to handle sensitive information. Just as you wouldn’t send a client’s bank statement through unencrypted email, you don’t want to paste personal details into AI tools. The same common sense applies — with a few small adjustments.
Safe vs. Risky: Guidelines That Make Sense
Risky to Share:
Full client names
Specific financial details
Confidential project specifics
Safe to Share:
“Client A in the retail industry”
General scenarios
Anonymized examples
Think of it like asking a colleague for advice: share the scenario without handing over the client’s file.
The Smart Shopper Approach: How to Pick AI Tools You Can Trust
Whether it’s a chatbot, a transcription app, or a scheduling tool, the key questions are the same: How is data stored, how long is it kept, and who can access it?
LLMs & Writing Assistants
ChatGPT Plus/Teams → Settings → Data Controls → Turn off “Improve the model for everyone.” Delete chats you don’t want stored.
Claude Pro → Settings → Privacy → Disable conversation history. Anthropic confirms chats aren’t used for training.
Microsoft Copilot (Business) → Data stays inside your Microsoft 365 account. Check Admin Center to confirm retention policies.
Google Workspace AI → Covered under Workspace privacy rules. Admins can set retention/deletion across Docs, Sheets, and Gmail.
Transcription & Meeting Notes
Otter.ai → Delete transcripts after exporting. In Settings, turn off auto-sharing with your calendar/contacts.
Fireflies.ai → Settings → Privacy lets you restrict who sees transcripts. Delete recordings once action items are captured.
Fathom → One-click deletion available. If linked with Zoom, clear old recordings in Zoom Cloud too.
Scheduling & Client Management Add-ons
Calendly AI → Review integrations and remove any you don’t need.
HoneyBook → Enable two-factor authentication and clear archived projects regularly.
Dubsado → Archive inactive clients once projects wrap.
Customer Support & FAQ Automation
Tidio → Shorten conversation log retention in Settings.
HubSpot Chatbot → Adjust retention under Privacy & Consent.
Social Intents → Delete old conversations in Teams/Slack.
Quick Questions to Ask Any AI Vendor
Where is my data stored, and can I delete it?
Do you use my conversations to train your AI?
What happens if I cancel my subscription?
Do you hold certifications like SOC 2 or GDPR?
Privacy Settings to Check This Week
ChatGPT: Turn off model improvement.
Claude: Disable history.
Otter.ai: Delete transcripts after saving notes.
Calendly: Audit integrations.
💡 Pro Tip: Treat AI prompts like business documents. If you wouldn’t paste a client’s contract into a public Slack channel, don’t paste it into a chatbot. Use stand-ins like Client A or Project X.
Your Weekly Challenge
This week:
Check the privacy settings in your go-to AI tool.
Create a short “client info checklist” — highlight what should always be anonymized.
Try out your AI disclosure line with one client.
Resource of the Week
IBM: AI Privacy Best Practices — accessible overview of business AI privacy.
One Last Bite
You don’t need to reinvent how you protect client data. By asking smart vendor questions, adjusting a few settings, and keeping names and numbers out of prompts, you’ll use AI confidently while keeping trust intact.
Until next week!