5 Things You Should Never Share With AI Bots: Passwords, Medical Information, More

As with any digital technology, there are important security considerations to keep in mind. Here are some best practices when it comes to dealing with AI bots.

When interacting with digital platforms, including AI-powered banking or e-commerce bots or app/platforms, it's essential to prioritise security.

Source : Anete Lusina/Pexels

By Ankush Sabharwal

AI assistants, including chatbots, voice bots, and video bots, have revolutionised the way we interact with technology. From handling banking inquiries to booking travel tickets, these tools powered by Gen AI, Composite AI, and more make our lives more convenient. However, while Conversational AI and AI Assistants, AI Agents and Co-Pilots are designed to enhance the ease of living. 

As with any digital technology, there are important security considerations to keep in mind. Avoid sharing these pieces of information with AI chatbots at any cost:

Passwords & Sensitive Authentication Data

When interacting with digital platforms, including AI-powered banking or e-commerce bots or app/platforms, it's essential to prioritise security. Sharing sensitive authentication data with any digital platform can pose significant security risks.

To mitigate these risks, it is essential to rely solely on official bots and platforms equipped with encrypted interfaces, provided by reputable and regulated companies.

Best Practice: Use password managers and two-factor authentication (2FA) to safeguard your credentials, ensuring bots handle confidential data securely.

Financial Information & Payment Card Details

Digital payment systems offer unparalleled convenience, but it's crucial to prioritise security. When using digital payment systems, ensure you're on verified, encrypted platforms to protect sensitive financial information.

AI-driven payment systems and conversational finance bots can streamline transactions, but it's essential to use them responsibly.

Best Practice: Enter sensitive payment details only on verified, encrypted platforms and use virtual cards where possible.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Sharing sensitive PII, such as full names, addresses, or social security numbers, requires careful consideration. When interacting with any digital platform like bots or app/platform, ensure that sensitive information is protected through robust security measures, such as end-to-end encryption and strict privacy controls.

Specifically, verify that data transmitted between the client and server is protected using SSL/TLS protocols, and that PII data is encrypted at rest. To minimise risk, only share the necessary information required to access services, and scrutinise or avoid requests for additional information.

Best Practice: Before sharing PII, ensure that the bot operates within a secure infrastructure and complies with regional data privacy regulations such as GDPR, CCPA or DPDPA.

Medical and Health Information

With healthcare chatbots becoming commonplace, it is tempting to share symptoms or seek preliminary diagnoses. To ensure your medical information remains secure, consider sharing it only with reputable, domain-specific LLMs designed for healthcare or governed by healthcare data privacy standards like HIPAA, which adhere to stringent data protection standards. 

Best Practice: Use healthcare-specific platforms with a proven track record of data security and avoid sharing complete medical histories with general-purpose AI systems.

Confidential Business Information

Corporate AI co-pilots and virtual assistants can streamline business operations, but it's crucial to protect proprietary data. Ensure that sensitive data interactions are restricted to enterprise-grade AI platforms that support custom security configurations and adhere to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Best Practice: Restrict sensitive data interactions to enterprise-grade AI platforms that support custom security configurations and adhere to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Striking A Balance Between Convenience & Security

AI technologies are redefining accessibility and personalisation. However, ensuring accessible AI aligns with privacy-first principles is key to sustainable adoption. A secure GenAI framework, emphasising transparency, encryption, and user consent, will create safer, more trusted AI ecosystems.

As AI becomes more embedded in everyday life, adopting a lifecycle-based approach to security- from secure onboarding to safe offboarding is critical. Always prioritise privacy, use secure platforms, and stay informed about security best practices to fully leverage the power of AI while safeguarding your most valuable data.

(The author is the Founder and CEO, CoRover)

Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP Network Pvt. Ltd.