Picture this: you’re drafting a proposal at 11pm, and ChatGPT helps you finish in 20 minutes instead of two hours. Sounds great, until you realise it’s confidently quoted statistics that don’t exist.
AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and others have rapidly become everyday business companions. They’re brilliant at drafting reports, summarising meetings, writing code and sparking new ideas. But like any powerful tool, they work best when you understand both their potential and their limitations.
Many digital projects fail because they don’t start with the right questions or fail to align with strategy. AI is no different. Without clear direction and thoughtful integration, what promises to be an advantage can quickly become a risk.
Adele Slater, our Engagement Director, shares seven practical tips to help you use AI confidently, minimise errors and extract real value.
1. Don’t outsource your thinking
It’s tempting to let AI handle the heavy lifting, but remember: AI is only as strong as the input it receives. Vague prompts result in vague answers.
Before engaging AI, clarify your objective and understand what you want to achieve. For instance, instead of asking “Write a marketing email,” try “Draft a 150-word email to existing customers announcing our new weekend delivery service, emphasising convenience and reliability.” The more specific you are, the better the result, but always sense-check the output through your own expertise.
Critical thinking cannot be delegated.
2. Keep sensitive data private
AI tools often learn from the data they’re given – sometimes permanently. Avoid sharing confidential business information, client details or anything you wouldn’t post publicly online.
Treat AI as you would a public forum: if in doubt, leave it out. Would you be comfortable if this information appeared in a trade publication or on social media? If not, don’t share it with AI. Of course, if you have the correct governance framework in place and secure subscriptions in place you can be more comfortable in sharing more confidential information, knowing that your data does not leave your environment.
3. Verify before you amplify
AI can be confident and incorrect at the same time. Always verify facts, figures and sources before sharing information with wider audiences or embedding it in important documents.
If an answer seems too polished or unexpectedly surprising, take the time to dig deeper. A quick web search or consultation with a trusted source can save you from embarrassing mistakes.
4. Use as a partner, not a replacement
Recently, a speaker at an industry event compared AI to a graduate working in your team, and it’s a perfect analogy.
Think of AI as an eager graduate: enthusiastic, quick to respond, but needs guidance and oversight. They’re brilliant at drafting first versions and generating ideas quickly, but you wouldn’t send their work to a client without review. The same applies here.
AI can accelerate your work, but ultimate responsibility for accuracy, tone and alignment remains firmly with you.
5. Keep control of your narrative
It’s easy to get swept up in what AI can do and lose sight of what your business needs to do. Before implementing any AI tool, ask yourself: Does this support our goals, or are we just using it because it’s new?
Ensure that AI tools support your broader strategy, rather than dictating it. Technology should serve your goals, not redefine them or become a distraction from what truly matters.
6. Build a culture of curiosity and caution
Encourage teams to experiment and learn, but provide clear guidance on acceptable use, data privacy and verification.
Empower your people to ask questions, share learnings and raise concerns, rather than pushing them to adopt AI unquestioningly. The best results come from teams that are both enthusiastic and thoughtful about new tools.
7. Start small, scale wisely
Begin by testing AI tools in controlled environments. Gather feedback, understand their limitations and ensure they genuinely add value before wider implementation.
This measured approach reduces risk and ensures technology enhances, rather than hinders, progress. Try it for one specific task, like drafting social media posts or summarising meeting notes before rolling it out across your business.
A Simple AI Safety Checklist
Before you hit send on AI-generated content, ask yourself:
- Have I removed all client names and sensitive details?
- Does this output align with our brand voice?
- Can I verify the key facts independently?
- Would I feel comfortable if this became public?
The Bottom Line
AI isn’t magic, it’s a tool that works best when guided by human judgment and business experience. Start small, stay curious, and remember: the smartest use of AI is knowing when to trust it and when to trust yourself.
By taking a deliberate approach, you can embrace AI confidently, avoid common pitfalls and turn it into a genuine asset for your business.
Want to build AI confidence across your team? Our AI for Business training courses give small businesses practical skills to use these tools safely and effectively. Get in touch to learn more.
