What to keep private

Assume that what you paste could be stored, seen by the company that runs the tool, or used to improve their systems, depending on the settings. You do not need to understand the paperwork to act sensibly. If you would not want it read back to you in a waiting room, leave it out.

Passwords, codes from your bank, full card numbers, National Insurance numbers, passport or driving licence details, medical records, and precise home addresses when they are not needed for the task.

Also leave out other people’s private information: a colleague’s salary, a child’s full name and school, a friend’s health. You can often describe the situation without the identifying details. “A pupil in my child’s class” is enough for a draft. The full name is not.

If your employer provides an AI tool, use that for work, and follow their rules. Use a personal chat for personal life. Mixing the two is how a private note ends up in the wrong place.

Before you paste a document, delete the header if it has names, reference numbers, or addresses you do not need help with.

Before you press send, scan for names, numbers, and addresses. Remove what the chat does not need in order to help. Ask the question in general terms when you can. “What should I look for in a phone contract?” is safer than pasting the contract with your account details still on it.