Partner content: AI assistants - Avoid security pitfalls and see real results

Having the peace of mind that organisational data remains protected is a key part of AI adoption

Today’s workers are more reliant than ever on their devices and the apps within them to stay productive and communicate effectively.

In fact, the amount of time spent in Microsoft Teams meetings and calls has increased threefold per week since February 2020. But despite spending more time than ever in applications, 86% of those surveyed said they have struggled with finding time and energy to get their work done.

AI opportunities

Any opportunities to boost productivity and drive operational efficiency should not be missed. With the right use cases and training, AI assistants such as Copilot for Microsoft 365 enable users to work smarter and focus on higher level tasks.

By harnessing the power of large language models (LLMs), Copilot integrates with Microsoft 365 apps to enhance productivity through automating repetitive tasks, summarising content and making communication more seamless.

Many businesses are already aware of the benefits Copilot can bring. According to IDC, as of November 2024 nearly 70% of the Fortune 500 now use Microsoft 365 Copilot. However, without the proper security guardrails in place, AI assistants and chatbots can introduce data privacy issues.

Avoid data exposure

Users interact with Copilot via prompts, which are then interpreted by the LLM. Copilot scans relevant Microsoft 365 data like documents when formulating an answer.

While Copilot only accesses data that the user has been given access to, if the correct data access controls are not in place, sensitive data and intellectual property could be included in these scans.

To get the most from Copilot without unintentional data access, organisations must have a clearly defined strategy before they begin using the tool.

Firstly, it is important to identify files that contain sensitive data. Next, conduct a thorough audit of access controls across your organisation, ensuring users do not have access to data not required to carry out their job. And finally, implement relevant access controls and ensure permissions are reviewed regularly.

These security best practices should be implemented regardless, but are particularly important when using AI tools.

As well as ensuring the right controls are in place, it is important to ensure users across your organisation are aware of not only the benefits of using AI tools, but also the potential security pitfalls. Regularly provide opportunities to upskill in this area and ensure AI usage complies with your organisation’s security, compliance, and privacy policies and processes.

An AI-focused approach to security

Having the peace of mind that organisational data remains protected is a key part of AI adoption. Microsoft offers a range of solutions to protect against AI-related threats and ensure data remains secure within AI applications, including Azure AI Services, Azure AI Content Safety, Microsoft Entra and Microsoft Intune. These solutions have capabilities that manage access to AI applications, protect corporate data, and detect harmful content in AI interactions.

Modern security solutions designed with complex digital environments in mind are also needed when implementing new technologies, including AI tools, with confidence. Lenovo’s ThinkShield portfolio of secure solutions, software and services is designed to help organisations establish an end-to-end zero trust strategy, set up robust data governance policies and implement Role-Based Access Controls. Zero trust goes hand-in-hand with ensuring AI tools do not have access to data they shouldn’t, as its guiding principles mean users must be verified before accessing resources.

Lenovo hardware is built to both process and secure the datasets needed for AI. Devices have the computational power to handle tasks such as data preparation, model training and AI inference, and Lenovo’s ThinkShield offers solutions to safeguard AI workflows and ensures data is protected from unauthorised access.

Furthermore, Lenovo’s partnership with Microsoft means that hardware security powered by ThinkShield is combined with Microsoft Cloud Security services, meaning organisations can benefit from Lenovo’s experience, expertise, enterprise-strength capability to support their security policy and AI implementations.

By having the right guardrails and hardware, your business can ensure security and compliance are a top priority as they explore the benefits AI offers.