Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage in the UK has risen by 66% since September 2023 and 18% since the beginning of 2024, according to Slack’s Workforce Index. As the owner of an AI tool myself, I see this as a positive. It paves the way for increased productivity, efficiency and profitability for businesses, amongst a shedload of other benefits.

But for companies who aren’t clued up on AI – and, due to its speed to market, haven’t implemented much-needed policies and regulations – the unauthorised use of AI tools can feel (and be) risky. With that in mind, I’m talking all things AI in the workplace. What are the benefits, what are the risks, and what can companies with little to no knowledge of AI do to mitigate them?

The risks of unauthorised AI usage

The risks of unauthorised AI use (when your workforce use it without your knowledge, guidance or training) within the workplace are vast, but I’d say the most concerning are privacy and data security.

From emails to schedules, AI tools often need access to a wealth of data to do their job effectively – data you don’t want anyone outside of the company to access. Plus, not all AI tools are secure. No matter how secure your systems are, hackers could steal all the information fed to the AI tool if it was compromised.

Similarly, discrimination and bias can be a side effect of untrained AI use. If workers make important decisions – think: hiring or performance reviews – based on AI data sets or recommendations alone, there’s no guarantee that those data sets are unbiased or have been thoroughly vetted.

Let’s not forget that quality of work can be impacted, too. AI excels at automation, but it can’t replace critical thinking and complex problem-solving. If workers rely too much on AI to complete tasks, results could be poor and work could be flawed.

In creative fields such as marketing and copywriting, overreliance on AI tools for creative ideas and concepts could stifle workers’ creativity and cause them to lose their creative ‘spark’ – the reason you hired them in the first place. Worse, it could even lead to plagiarism if staff members simply copy and paste AI material, which could have been taken from pre-existing sources.

The benefits of authorised AI usage

So far, it might have seemed like I’m anti-AI – but I’m the opposite. The difference between unauthorised AI use and authorised use is huge. Authorised AI use means you’ll guide your team on what tools to use, how to/how not to use them, and consistently monitor their outcomes.

The phrase ‘work smarter, not harder’ couldn’t be more relevant here. When the use of AI tools is authorised but controlled, productivity is likely to soar. Repetitive and routine tasks can be automated, allowing time for more complex and strategic work.

AI can improve accuracy and reduce the margin of error in all industries. This could be as simple as proofreading a copywriter’s work, or as complex as analysing sensor data on factory machines to predict problems before they happen.

Customer service can be optimised, with chatbots offering an instant and efficient way for customers to get in touch and solve their problems 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If used alongside human judgement, using AI to analyse data and provide insights and recommendations can lead to improved decision-making. It can even streamline the recruitment process and remove bias by analysing candidates based on their expertise while masking protected traits such as age and gender.

And importantly, AI can reduce costs and improve profitability for business owners. This is because it can automate routine tasks, which may have previously required employee time and resources, therefore reducing operational costs.

How to regulate AI usage within your business

Hopefully, I’ve made one thing clear: authorised and regulated AI use can benefit your business, but unauthorised and unregulated AI use can lead to some pretty nasty consequences.

So now, I know what you’re thinking: how can I begin the process of regulating AI usage within my business? Below, you’ll find my tips:

• Select (and vet) a set of AI tools: Telling your workforce to start using AI without guiding them on which tools you’re happy for them to use is a recipe for disaster. Instead, spend some time researching reputable AI tools, ensuring they’re secure and well-rated, and think about which ones would benefit your particular business the most. The key is to start by thinking about what problems you need to solve – and finding a tool that solves them for you. Most AI tools offer a free trial, so make sure to utilise those.
  
  
• Train your workforce: AI tools are only as good as the people who use them. To get the most out of your set of vetted tools, you’ll need to dedicate some time to training your staff. The more AI literate they are, the more time-efficient they’ll become, and the more profitable your business can be. This can also lead to increased employee morale, as research by Adecco Group suggests that over two-thirds of UK workers believe AI skills will improve their career options and make them more employable.
• Implement an AI policy: AI can be an asset, but when used incorrectly, it has the potential to cause big problems, such as serious data leaks. For this reason, it’s important to implement a strict AI policy within your business. You’ll need to set clear expectations on how you’d like your team to use AI – and importantly, how not to use it. You’ll also need to set out which tools you allow and which are off the table.
• Track, monitor & improve: Once you’ve got the swing of things going with AI, don’t stop there. For the best results, you’ll need to monitor the performance of your AI tools and gauge what impact they’ve had on productivity and output. This will help you to refine your policy, identify where staff need further training and decipher if the tools you’ve picked are up to standard.