The Risks of Using Uncontrolled Artificial Intelligence in Companies

Using tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot in a business environment can lead to legal, reputational, and financial issues if there is no proper policy, ethical guidelines, or solid structure within the organization to regulate its implementation and use.

Artificial intelligence has revolutionized how we interact with technology, offering a wide range of possibilities to optimize and streamline tasks in both work and educational settings. However, its uncontrolled adoption can entail significant risks, especially when employees access these tools without the company’s knowledge, control, or mechanisms to manage their use safely and efficiently.

According to a recent IDC study commissioned by Microsoft, the artificial intelligence market in Colombia has grown by 25% in the last year, with the healthcare, retail, and financial sectors being the fastest adopters of these technologies. Notably, 59% of large companies have implemented AI solutions in less than six months.

The same report predicts that within the next two years, 82% of large companies will increase their investment in artificial intelligence, cementing its role as one of the critical technologies for business growth and evolution in the medium and long term.

During the recent Andicom fair, Rosa Bolger, IBM’s Global Vice President of Cyber Defense, highlighted that “although ransomware attacks have decreased thanks to automation technologies, we are seeing a worrying rise in attacks targeting artificial intelligence solutions, carried out with AI itself.” According to Bolger, cybercriminals are attacking AI models to understand how they function in targeted companies. Every interaction users have with these models allows the AI to learn, and thus, it can become a vulnerability if manipulated or misused.

To mitigate these risks, IBM recommends improving artificial intelligence governance within companies. This involves having clear policies and ethical guidelines and an organizational structure that oversees its use, ensuring that employees are trained and understand when and how to use these tools safely.

62% of technology executives in Latin America agree that generative AI governance should be established alongside its implementation, preventing gaps or problems from developing after AI has already been integrated into business processes. This preventive approach is critical to avoiding negative consequences at the corporate level.

The Risks of Uncontrolled Generative AI

The unsupervised use of generative artificial intelligence in an organization can lead to a series of risks on multiple fronts:

1. Insecure accessible environments: Employees frequently use free versions of tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot. These platforms lack the advanced security and privacy configurations needed for a business environment, exposing the company to unnecessary risks. AI should be implemented in private environments, supported by secure cloud solutions and strict security policies to protect data integrity.

2. Exposure of critical information: It is hazardous to input sensitive data such as corporate strategies, internal operations, databases, pricing, or financial projections into uncontrolled public platforms. These AI systems could use the information entered without restrictions, exposing trade secrets or key data to malicious actors.

3. Cybersecurity risks: The information employees provide to these models can be used to train other AI systems that can accurately simulate corporate communications, such as emails or documents from senior executives. This opens the door to sophisticated fraud, like identity theft in video or voice, which can severely damage the organization’s reputation.

4. Copyright infringement: Generative AI, using data from multiple sources, can create content that infringes on the intellectual property rights or copyrights of third parties. This could lead to costly lawsuits and judicial complications that would risk the company’s finances and public image.

5. Hallucination errors and biases: These AI models, in their free versions, can produce inaccurate or unreliable responses, potentially leading the company to make serious mistakes. Additionally, the lack of oversight may lead to biases related to inclusion, gender, diversity, or race, creating ethical and reputational issues for the company.

6. Customer privacy violations: AI platforms store user data to improve their responses. If an employee inputs confidential customer information or data protected by contract, the company could face severe privacy violations with significant legal repercussions.

How to Safely Integrate Generative AI into the Company

To avoid the risks above, companies must adopt a strategic and planned approach when implementing generative artificial intelligence:

1. Create an internal policy: The company must have an ethical manual that clearly defines the roles, functions, and processes for using AI within the organization.

2. Form an AI governance team. This team will be responsible for implementing, monitoring, and supervising the proper use of AI and ensuring compliance with all internal and external regulations.

3. Establish a roadmap: Define a detailed plan that indicates which processes and areas will initially integrate AI, allowing for gradual evaluation and adjustments before expanding its use to other departments.

4. Seek specialized advice: Many companies offer generative AI solutions for corporate environments. These companies guide the safe integration of technology, maximizing its benefits while minimizing risks.

Conclusion:

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, companies must implement stringent measures to safeguard their sensitive information from potential cyber threats. The growing use of generative artificial intelligence tools presents significant opportunities and serious risks. Without proper governance, security protocols, and ethical guidelines, businesses expose themselves to data breaches, intellectual property violations, and other vulnerabilities that can have lasting financial and reputational impacts. Therefore, adopting a proactive approach by creating robust AI policies, forming dedicated governance teams, and leveraging secure, enterprise-level AI solutions is not just advisable—it’s a critical step in protecting the integrity and future of the organization. Ensuring that employees are trained and AI tools are used within controlled environments will significantly minimize the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands, ultimately strengthening the company’s resilience against cyberattacks.