August 02, 2025
There's a lot of excitement about artificial
intelligence (AI) right now, and for good reason. Tools like ChatGPT, Google
Gemini and Microsoft Copilot are popping up everywhere. Businesses are using
them to create content, respond to customers, write e-mails, summarize meetings
and even assist with coding or spreadsheets.
AI can be a huge time-saver and productivity
booster. But, like any powerful tool, if misused, it can open the door to
serious problems - especially when it comes to your company's data security.
Even small businesses are at risk.
Here's The Problem
The danger isn't the technology itself—it's how your team uses it.
When someone copies sensitive data—like a resident chart or a state audit doc—into a public AI tool, that info may get stored, analyzed, or even used to train future models.
That means your facility's private information might be out there… without your consent, and without your knowledge.
In 2023, engineers at Samsung accidentally leaked
internal source code into ChatGPT. It became such a significant privacy issue
that the company banned the use of public AI tools altogether, as reported by Tom's
Hardware.
Now imagine a caregiver in your building asking ChatGPT to "summarize a care note"—but pasting in a resident's medical file.
In seconds, you've got a HIPAA violation.
A New Threat: Prompt Injection
Beyond accidental leaks, hackers are now exploiting
a more sophisticated technique called prompt injection. They hide malicious
instructions inside e-mails, transcripts, PDFs or even YouTube captions. When
an AI tool is asked to process that content, it can be tricked into giving up
sensitive data or doing something it shouldn't.
In short, the AI helps the attacker - without
knowing it's being manipulated.
Why Small Businesses Are Vulnerable
Most small businesses aren't monitoring AI use
internally. Employees adopt new tools on their own, often with good intentions
but without clear guidance. Many assume AI tools are just smarter versions of
Google. They don't realize that what they paste could be stored permanently or
seen by someone else.
And few companies have policies in place to manage
AI usage or to train employees on what's safe to share.
Why Senior Living Communities Are at Risk
Most small facilities don't monitor AI usage internally.
Your team adopts tools on their own, with the best intentions—but no guidance. They treat AI like a fancy version of Google, unaware that what they paste could be stored forever—or used against you later.
Worse, there's often no policy in place to guide them on what's safe to share.
What You Can Do Right Now
You don't need to ban AI from your business, but
you do need to take control.
Here are four steps to get started:
1. Create
an AI usage policy.
Define which tools are approved, what types of data should never be shared and
who to go to with questions.
2. Educate
your team.
Help your staff understand the risks of using public AI tools and how threats
like prompt injection work.
3. Use
secure platforms.
Encourage employees to stick with business-grade tools like Microsoft Copilot,
which offer more control over data privacy and compliance.
4. Monitor
AI use.
Track which tools are being used and consider blocking public AI platforms on
company devices if needed.
The Bottom Line
Let's Make AI Work for You—Not Against You
AI isn't going anywhere. The senior living communities that learn to use it wisely will save time, stay compliant, and stand out—especially during surveys and audits.
But without guardrails?
One well-meaning mistake could cost you your license, your reputation—or your job.
Let's take 15 minutes to review your AI usage and lock down any risks.
Call us at 719-510-5869 or click here to book your free security checkup.
We'll help you write a smart AI policy that empowers your team—without putting resident privacy in jeopardy.