Your Team Is Already Using AI. Here's What to Do About It.

Your team is already using AI. That's not a criticism — it's just reality. ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, writing assistants, coding helpers. People find tools that make their work easier and they use them. That's a good thing.

The issue isn't AI. The issue is that most businesses haven't had a chance to figure out which tools are safe to use, for which tasks, with which information. And in that gap, data is moving in ways nobody intended.

What "shadow AI" actually means

Shadow AI just means AI tools your team is using that haven't been reviewed or approved by IT. It's the same idea as shadow IT — the Dropbox account someone set up because the company file server was slow, the WhatsApp group that replaced the project management tool nobody liked.

People aren't trying to cause problems. They're trying to get their work done. But when someone pastes a client proposal into a free chatbot to help write an email, or drops a spreadsheet of HR data in to help summarize it, that information goes somewhere — and most free AI tools are pretty upfront in their terms of service that they can use submitted content to improve their models.

That's the gap. Not malice. Just a tool being used before anyone had time to think through what should and shouldn't go into it.

What kinds of information tends to end up in AI tools

In our conversations with businesses, the types of content that commonly get pasted into AI tools include:

• Client contracts and proposals
• Emails with pricing or commercial terms
• Internal HR notes and performance reviews
• Financial summaries and budget files
• Source code (often when debugging)
• Patient or client records in regulated industries

None of this is the employee being reckless. It's often the opposite — they're being diligent, trying to do better work. The problem is that the policy conversation hasn't happened yet.

What a sensible response looks like

This isn't a situation where the answer is 'ban AI.' That ship has sailed, and trying to block it creates frustration without actually solving anything. The better approach is to get in front of it with a few practical steps.

Give people an approved option.

If Microsoft 365 Copilot is in your stack, that's the obvious place to start. It operates inside your Microsoft tenant, under your existing data policies, with the same compliance boundary as your email and files. It gives your team a capable AI tool without data leaving your environment.

Have a straightforward conversation about what goes in.

You don't need a lengthy policy document to start. A short, plain-language guide — here are the approved tools, here's what you can use them for, here's what shouldn't go in — goes a long way. Pair it with a real conversation, not a compliance video.

Make it part of your security training.

AI risk fits naturally into the same conversation as phishing, social engineering, and data handling. When your team understands why it matters — not just that there's a rule — they're much more likely to apply good judgment in new situations.

Where AltaCom can help

We work with businesses across Calgary and Alberta who are trying to use AI well — getting the productivity benefits without creating new problems in the process.

• Cyber Awareness Training: We cover AI tool risks as part of our training sessions — real scenarios, built around how your team actually works, delivered by a real person.
• Managed IT Services: We can help you review what tools your team is using, identify where data might be moving, and set up approved alternatives.
• vCISO Services: If you need a formal AI policy or governance framework — for your own peace of mind or because a client or insurer is asking — we can build that with you.

If you're not sure where your business stands, a conversation is a good place to start. No audit, no report — just a practical chat about what your team is using and what, if anything, needs attention.

Get in touch →