Artificial Intelligence, often referred to simply as AI, is quickly becoming a workplace staple. Whether workers are using AI to power their predictive analytical sales software or using ChatGPT to conduct quick and effective research, AI is now an indispensable tool empowering today’s workforce and helping business make better, more informed decisions.
AI Exposes Businesses to New Risks
That said, every virtue has its vice. In this case, while AI is streamlining workflows and automating complex tasks, AI is simultaneously introducing a new wave of challenges that impose new risks and cause many organizations to worry about (and delay) their own implementation of AI tools.
Unsurprisingly, there are many different risks associated with AI, but summarized below are four of the more common risks associated with the use of AI in the workplace:
- Privacy Violation Risks – It is not hard to anticipate that data breaches and privacy concerns would be among the top risks associated with AI use. AI tools are built on vast amounts of data. But it is not always clear where that data comes from or whether developers have the requisite rights, licenses, or permissions to use the data that drives their AI tools. As a result, developers could be using volumes of extremely private and sensitive information belonging to consumers who do not even know how their information is being used and never consented to its use. If this data is exposed to unauthorized access, it will result in a costly data breach and angry consumers.
- Copyright and Intellectual Property Risks – Going hand-in-hand with privacy violation risks are the risks of copyright and intellectual property infringement. AI-generated content can easily violate copyright laws or infringe on third-party intellectual property rights, which in turn can expose organizations to the costs of litigation.
- Cybersecurity Risks – One of the biggest, most frightening risks organizations can face are cybersecurity attacks. And AI tools can be just as vulnerable to cyberattacks as the non-AI programs organizations already have in place. Hackers are capable of taking over AI systems and weaponizing this advanced technology to conceal malicious codes or execute intelligent attacks that self-propagate over a system or network.
- Legal and Regulatory Risks – AI is still an emerging technology, and the full implications and consequences remain unknown. As such, law makers and regulators are continually adjusting and introducing new rules and regulations that could impact the use of AI. For example, the Biden administration just issued a landmark executive order meant to establish new standards for AI safety and security. The order has a number of requirements, such as requiring AI developers to share safety test results with the U.S. government and strengthening privacy-preserving research. If organizations do not comply with these new rules, or use AI tools that do not comply with federal, state or local guidelines, these organizations open themselves to considerable liability.
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