How to Protect Your Privacy When Using AI Tools

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday life. People use AI chatbots to ask questions, writing assistants to improve documents, image generators to create artwork and digital tools to research ideas or solve problems.

These tools can be useful, but using them also raises an important question: what happens to the information you share?

A conversation with an AI tool might include personal details, private messages, workplace documents, photographs or information about someone who has trusted you with their data. Depending on the service and its settings, information may be processed, stored, reviewed or used in different ways.

Protecting your privacy does not mean avoiding AI altogether. It means understanding the risks, sharing information carefully and choosing tools that are appropriate for what you want to do.

Why Does Privacy Matter When Using AI?

When you type a question into an AI chatbot or upload a document to an online tool, you are providing information to a service that processes your input to produce a result.

The service may also process account details, usage information, uploaded files or other technical data. The exact information collected and how it is handled depends on the provider, the product, the account type and the applicable settings and policies.

The main concern is not that every AI service will misuse your information. It is that you should understand what you are sharing and whether the service is suitable for handling it.

Once information has been submitted to an external service, you may not have the same direct control over it that you have over a document stored privately on your own device.

What Information Should You Avoid Sharing With AI?

As a general rule, do not submit sensitive or confidential information unless you have a clear reason, suitable permission and a service that has been approved for that purpose.

Passwords and security details

Never share passwords, one-time verification codes, recovery codes, private encryption keys or other authentication secrets with an AI chatbot. A legitimate support process should not require you to reveal these details in an ordinary conversation.

Banking and financial information

Avoid entering full payment card details, banking credentials, account access codes or unnecessary financial records. If you need help understanding a budget or transaction, use a fictional example or remove identifying information first.

Personal identification details

Think carefully before sharing passport numbers, driving licence details, national insurance numbers, identity documents, home addresses or other information that could identify or impersonate you.

Health and medical information

Health records, diagnoses, medication details and information about someone's care can be particularly sensitive. Do not upload identifiable health information to a general-purpose AI service unless the use is appropriate, authorised and protected by suitable arrangements.

Private information about children or vulnerable people

Information about a child's school, behaviour, support needs, family circumstances or safeguarding concerns deserves particular care. The same applies to information about disabled people, people receiving support and anyone who may be at risk if their information is exposed.

If you work in education, care, healthcare, charity services or another role involving confidential information, follow your organisation's policies and use only approved tools and processes.

Confidential workplace documents

Contracts, staff records, client lists, unpublished business plans, internal reports, legal correspondence and private emails may contain information that should not be uploaded to an unapproved AI service.

Even when you remove someone's name, a combination of dates, locations, job titles and unusual circumstances may still make them identifiable.

Can AI Tools Remember What You Tell Them?

Different AI services handle conversations in different ways. Some may keep chat histories, allow users to create memories or preferences, retain information for security purposes, or use certain interactions to improve their services depending on the product and settings.

These functions are not all the same. A saved conversation, an optional memory feature, temporary processing and the use of data for model improvement can involve different controls and retention arrangements.

You should not assume that every AI service works in the same way, or that deleting a conversation necessarily removes every associated copy, backup or record immediately.

Read the privacy information for the specific service you use. Look for details about conversation history, memory, data retention, model training, human review and deletion options.

Check Your AI Privacy Settings

Many services provide privacy and data controls. Their names and availability vary, so check the settings for your particular account rather than relying on instructions intended for another product.

• Review model-improvement settings: Check whether your conversations may be used to improve models and whether you can control this.
• Review memory features: Find out whether the service saves personal preferences or details between conversations, and how you can inspect or delete them.
• Manage chat history: Understand how conversations are saved and what happens when you delete them.
• Check temporary or private modes: Find out what these modes change and what retention or safety exceptions still apply.
• Review connected apps: Check which external services can access information and whether their permissions are still needed.
• Check account security: Use a strong, unique password and enable multi-factor authentication when available.
• Review shared links and files: Make sure you understand who can access anything you have shared.

Privacy settings can reduce some risks, but they do not make it appropriate to share every kind of information. The safest approach is to minimise what you submit in the first place.

Use Less Personal Information

One of the simplest ways to reduce privacy risks is to give an AI tool only the information it needs to complete the task.

Imagine that you want help rewriting an email to a school. You may not need to include a child's full name, home address, date of birth, medical details or the names of other pupils.

Instead, you could replace identifying details with neutral labels such as "[student]", "[school]" or "[teacher]" and provide only the context needed to improve the wording.

The same principle applies to business documents, personal statements, complaint letters and case studies.

• Remove names, addresses and contact details that are not necessary.
• Replace real account numbers with fictional examples.
• Remove unnecessary identifying details from screenshots.
• Use sample data instead of real customer or staff records.
• Check documents for hidden information before uploading them.
• Do not include private information about another person without an appropriate reason and authority.

Remember that removing a name is not always enough to anonymise information. If a person can still be identified from the remaining details, the information may remain personal data.

Be Careful With Photographs, Voice Recordings and Documents

AI tools can analyse images, transcribe audio, summarise PDFs and extract information from uploaded files. These features can be convenient, but the material you upload may reveal more than you realise.

Photographs and images

A photograph may show faces, school uniforms, workplace badges, vehicle registration plates, addresses or private surroundings. Image files may also contain metadata, depending on how they were created and processed.

Before uploading an image, check whether you have permission to use it and whether identifiable people or private details need to be removed or obscured.

Voice recordings

Recordings can reveal someone's identity, conversations and circumstances. Voice recordings may also be used in systems that analyse speech or generate synthetic voices.

Do not upload someone else's recording or use their voice in an AI tool without considering consent, privacy, applicable law and the purpose of the processing.

PDFs and office documents

A document may contain comments, tracked changes, hidden spreadsheet cells, embedded images, personal information or metadata that is not obvious when you first open it.

Review files carefully before submitting them to an external service. If you only need a summary of one section, consider copying that section into a new document after removing unnecessary confidential details.

Choose AI Services Carefully

Not every AI service is suitable for every task. Before using a tool, consider who provides it, what information it needs and whether its privacy arrangements meet your requirements.

Questions worth asking include:

• Who operates the service, and is the provider clearly identified?
• What personal information does the service collect?
• How are prompts, uploaded files and outputs handled?
• Can information be used for model improvement or reviewed by people?
• How long may information be retained?
• Can you access, correct or delete information where applicable?
• Are the service's security and privacy arrangements appropriate for your task?
• Does your workplace or organisation permit the service to be used?

A paid subscription does not automatically mean that every type of data is protected in the way you need. Business and enterprise services may offer different contractual and administrative controls, but you should check the terms of the particular product and plan.

Privacy When Using AI at Work

Employees and volunteers may use AI to draft communications, organise information, create training materials or prepare reports. These uses can save time, but workplace information may be subject to confidentiality obligations, data protection rules and internal policies.

Organisations should consider the following safeguards:

• Provide a clear policy explaining which AI tools are approved.
• Explain what information must never be entered into unapproved tools.
• Use authorised accounts and appropriate access controls.
• Train staff to recognise personal data, confidential information and security risks.
• Set clear rules for uploading client, service-user, student or employee information.
• Check whether the organisation needs a data protection impact assessment before introducing a system that could pose a high risk to people's rights and freedoms.
• Provide a process for reporting accidental disclosures or other incidents promptly.
• Review supplier arrangements, permissions and retention practices.

In the UK, organisations should consider their obligations under applicable data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. The exact requirements depend on the processing and the organisation's circumstances.

Can AI Tools Be Hacked?

Like other online services, AI tools can face security threats. Risks may include stolen accounts, phishing, software vulnerabilities, malicious extensions, compromised devices or inappropriate access to connected systems.

There are also AI-specific risks. For example, a malicious instruction hidden in a document or webpage may attempt to manipulate an AI system that is processing that content. This type of attack is often called prompt injection.

Prompt injection does not mean that every AI conversation gives someone access to your computer. The risk depends on the system's design, permissions, connected tools and safeguards. However, it is a reason to be cautious when an AI assistant can read files, browse websites or take actions on your behalf.

To reduce security risks:

• Keep your operating system, browser and security software updated.
• Use strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication.
• Be cautious with unexpected links, attachments and AI-related scams.
• Review browser extensions and remove those you do not trust or need.
• Grant connected applications only the permissions they require.
• Require confirmation before an AI tool performs consequential actions.
• Avoid giving an AI assistant unrestricted access to private files or accounts unless there is a well-understood and justified need.

Does Using AI Mean Giving Up Your Privacy?

No. Using an AI service does not automatically mean that you have given up every privacy right. Your rights and the provider's obligations depend on the service, the information involved, the applicable law and the circumstances.

However, privacy is easier to protect when you understand the service before using it. Different tools may have different data practices, and the same provider may offer different controls for personal and organisational accounts.

Think of privacy as a series of choices: what to share, which service to trust, what permissions to grant and how much information is really needed.

What If You Have Already Shared Sensitive Information?

If you accidentally submit sensitive information to an AI tool, do not panic. The right response depends on what was shared and the service's features and policies.

1. Identify the information: Establish whether it was a password, financial detail, personal document, confidential record or something less sensitive.
2. Review available controls: Check whether you can delete the conversation, remove an upload or change relevant privacy settings. Remember that deletion may not immediately remove every retained record.
3. Secure affected accounts: If a password or authentication secret was exposed, change it through the official service and revoke or replace affected credentials where appropriate.
4. Watch for suspicious activity: Be alert to unexpected account access, messages or requests for money or additional information.
5. Report the incident where necessary: If the information belongs to an employer, school, charity or another organisation, follow its incident-reporting procedure promptly.
6. Seek appropriate advice: For serious disclosures, identity fraud or potential harm, contact the relevant service provider or appropriate support organisation.

If personal data has been exposed through a workplace or organisational account, do not assume that deleting the conversation resolves the incident. The organisation may need to assess the circumstances and take further action.

A Practical AI Privacy Checklist

• Have I checked whether this AI service is suitable for my task?
• Am I sharing only the information that is genuinely necessary?
• Have I removed unnecessary names, addresses and identifiers?
• Am I avoiding passwords, verification codes and private access keys?
• Have I checked the service's privacy settings and data policy?
• Do I understand whether memory, chat history or connected applications are enabled?
• Do I have permission to upload information about other people?
• Have I checked whether the information is confidential or subject to workplace rules?
• Have I reviewed the output before sharing it with anyone else?
• Do I know what to do if I accidentally disclose sensitive information?

Conclusion: Use AI Without Sharing More Than You Need To

Artificial intelligence can be a valuable tool for creativity, learning, communication and problem-solving. Protecting your privacy does not require you to avoid every AI service, but it does require you to make informed choices.

Read the privacy information, check the settings, limit unnecessary data sharing and be particularly careful with sensitive information about yourself or other people. At work, follow approved procedures and never assume that a convenient tool is automatically suitable for confidential material.

Above all, remember that you can often get useful help from AI without providing the full personal story, original document or identifying details behind your question.

The safest starting point is simple: share less, check more and think carefully before connecting an AI tool to information or systems you want to keep private.

Further Information and Resources

• Information Commissioner's Office: Online privacy and data protection
• ICO: UK GDPR guidance for organisations
• National Cyber Security Centre: Advice for individuals and families
• National Cyber Security Centre: Generative AI guidance
• GOV.UK: Data protection

This article provides general educational information, not legal or cybersecurity advice tailored to a particular situation. Always review the current privacy policy and settings of the AI service you use.