AI tools can improve customer service, reporting and internal operations, but choosing a supplier is also a data protection decision. The wrong contract, permission model or retention setting can expose business information long after a pilot has finished.
Start with the workflow and the information
Before comparing vendors, choose one business process and map the information it handles. Note customer records, documents, email, website forms, financial details, employee information and any confidential material. This gives the procurement discussion a clear boundary.
Ask how the supplier uses business data
Confirm where information is stored, which subcontractors can access it, whether it is used to train or improve a model, and how deletion works. Ask for practical details about logging, incident notification, access controls, encryption and data export rather than relying on broad marketing statements.
Limit the pilot
Use test information where possible and connect only the systems required for the agreed workflow. Create separate accounts, apply least-privilege permissions and set an expiry date for pilot access. Record who owns the decision to expand, pause or stop the service.
Keep a human approval point
Require review before an AI-assisted process sends sensitive information, changes a customer record, approves a payment, makes an eligibility recommendation or creates a commitment on behalf of the business. Keep enough records to explain what happened and who approved the outcome.
Test the exit process
A supplier review is incomplete until the business can retrieve its information, revoke connections, close accounts and confirm deletion. Put these steps in the contract and test them during the pilot.
A practical first step
Review one AI supplier this week. Name the workflow, list the information involved, document the decision owner and confirm the exit process before approving wider access.
Sources
- business.gov.au: Artificial intelligence for small business
- OAIC: Guidance on privacy and commercially available AI products
Leave a comment