AI Tools & Usage Advice

Artificial Intelligence is no longer something coming “one day”. It is already embedded in everyday tools, workflows, and decision making. Used well, AI can save time, reduce admin, and help people think more clearly. Used poorly, it can create serious privacy, compliance, and reputational risks.

At NOYTECH, our approach to AI is practical, cautious, and grounded in real-world business and industry requirements. This article outlines how we recommend businesses approach AI tools, what to watch out for, and how to get genuine value without putting your data or your clients at risk.

Start with Industry Rules, not the Tool

Before looking at any AI product, the first question should always be:
“What does my industry allow?”

Many sectors already have clear guidance or legal requirements around data handling. A common example is Australian medical and medico-legal environments, where patient and client data must remain housed within Australian datacentres and not be stored or processed offshore.

If an AI tool cannot clearly state where data is stored, processed, and backed up, it should be treated as unsuitable by default.

This is why industry-specific AI tools are often the safest starting point. Tools built specifically for medical, legal, or financial environments are usually designed with these rules in mind from day one. They already account for compliance, data sovereignty, auditability, and access controls.

General-purpose AI can still be useful, but it should never be adopted first and justified later. Compliance comes first. Convenience comes second.

Data Controls matter more than AI Features

One of the biggest risks with AI in business is not the AI itself. It is poor data hygiene.

AI tools are only as safe as the permissions behind them. If staff already have access to information they should not see, AI will simply surface that problem faster.

This is where tools like Microsoft Copilot stand out when configured correctly. Copilot respects existing SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft 365 user and group permissions. If a user cannot access a document normally, Copilot cannot access it either.

That said, this only works if permissions are designed properly in the first place. Copilot does not fix poor structure. It exposes it.

Microsoft also provides granular controls that allow administrators to limit what Copilot can reference, where it can operate, and how it behaves across the environment.

Importantly, by default, Copilot does not use company data to train AI models. That only happens if an organisation explicitly opts in. This is a critical distinction that many people misunderstand.

AI should sit on top of good access controls, not replace them.

Public AI Tools: Useful, but handle with care!

Publicly accessible AI tools absolutely have their place, both personally and professionally. Tools like ChatGPT and NotebookLM can be powerful thinking partners when used responsibly.

However, users must be extremely cautious about what information is shared.

Free versions of many AI tools typically use conversations and inputs for further model training. Paid subscriptions usually provide options to opt out of training, but this must be checked and confirmed. Never assume.

As a general rule:

• Do not paste client data, patient details, financial records, passwords, or internal documents into public AI tools.
• Treat anything entered into a free AI tool as potentially public in the future.
• Use public AI for thinking, drafting, summarising, and ideation, not for storing or processing sensitive information.

We also recommend avoiding tools such as DeepSeek for business use, particularly in regulated industries. Concerns around data handling, transparency, jurisdiction, and government oversight make these platforms unsuitable where privacy and compliance matter.

Platforms like ChatGPT are generally more trusted because they provide clearer policies, better transparency, enterprise-grade controls, and stronger alignment with Western privacy expectations.

Get more value by creating an AI Clone

One of the simplest ways to dramatically improve results from AI tools is to stop treating every conversation as a blank slate.

An “AI Clone” or thought partner is a saved context that describes who you are, what you do, how you think, and what matters to you. This might include your role, industry, tone preferences, goals, and constraints.

With that context in place, AI responses become more relevant, more accurate, and far less generic.

This approach works exceptionally well in tools like ChatGPT and NotebookLM, and it reduces the need to constantly re-explain yourself.

Practical AI Use Cases

Below are practical, real-world examples of how AI can be used safely and effectively.

Personal use examples

1. Clarifying thinking around decisions by asking AI to challenge assumptions.
2. Drafting personal emails or messages, then editing them in your own voice.
3. Summarising long articles or documents to extract key points.
4. Creating learning plans for new skills or interests.
5. Organising goals and breaking them into achievable steps.
6. Preparing questions before meetings or appointments.
7. Journalling and reflection prompts to improve self-awareness.
8. Turning rough notes into structured outlines.
9. Exploring different perspectives on a problem.
10. Creating personal templates for recurring tasks.

Professional use examples

1. Drafting first versions of policies, procedures, or internal documents.
2. Summarising meeting notes or action items.
3. Creating client-facing explanations in plain English.
4. Brainstorming workflow improvements or automation ideas.
5. Preparing training material outlines.
6. Drafting marketing content that is later reviewed and refined.
7. Creating checklists for projects or compliance tasks.
8. Analysing trends or themes from non-sensitive data.
9. Improving the clarity of technical explanations.
10. Acting as a second set of eyes before sending important communications.

In all professional cases, sensitive data should be removed or anonymised before use.

A final word on responsible AI

AI is not necessarily about replacing people. It is about reducing friction, improving clarity, and freeing up time for higher-value work.

The businesses that get the most out of AI are not the ones chasing every new tool. They are the ones that understand their obligations, structure their data properly, and apply AI with intent.

If you are unsure where AI fits within your industry, your compliance requirements, or your existing systems, this is where structured guidance matters. At NOYTECH, we help clients adopt AI in a way that is safe, compliant, and genuinely useful, not just impressive on paper.

Used correctly, AI becomes a quiet advantage rather than a loud risk.