How to Protect Your Organization Using Best Practices for Generative AI
In recent months, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken center stage as the technology to watch, with generative AI systems like ChatGPT exciting companies, fascinating journalists, and concerning people in governance and risk functions. All of these are merited. While this technology and the best practices around it are both developing quickly, there are a few things to take into account now to begin future-proofing any work with this technology and protect your organization as you explore using these tools.
What is generative AI?
Generative AI is a set of computational techniques that are used to generate new outputs, often based on conversational inputs. Like all AI, this is a set of instructions that, when combined like a recipe, can make complex decisions, and sometimes seem like magic—or like another human. Generative AI systems can answer questions, analyze data, write code, create new images based on descriptions, or make videos of real or fictional situations. In each case, the content created is new, or at least novel, based on many millions of examples of content that the AI has been trained on. While these tools can create sophisticated new content, they are not the equal of human work. However, soon they may well support people and products as they complete their own work.
What risks can you protect against, and how to protect your organization
As we move towards more use of AI in our organizations, it is important to consider the technology, put in place best practices and guidelines for your organization, and thoughtfully take advantage of the opportunities presented by AI. These are a few of the things to consider when deciding whether, and how, to use generative AI in your organization:
- Enthusiasm around these tools may outpace an understanding of their appropriate use or expectations of their output. Establish policies and best practices governing the use of these tools inside your organization, or for any external product offerings you may have.
- Current generative AI tools are …