Few technologies have become part of our daily lives as quickly and integrally as artificial intelligence. AI chatbots are particularly prominent, as people use them for everything from conducting internet research to locking in their next dentist’s appointment.
While they increasingly resemble real people in the way they interact, AI chatbots remain an advanced technology that can carry risks. What are these risks, and how can you avoid them? Here’s what you need to know.
Privacy Concerns
A chatbot’s ability to answer questions naturally and with a fair degree of accuracy hinges on large amounts of training data. Its creators collected some beforehand, but training is an ongoing process you’re likely to be opted into by default.
Information you disclose during conversations may be stored on a server somewhere. Not a problem if you stick to general topics, but a major concern if you share sensitive or personal data.
OpenAI has since improved its data handling practices. Still, the incident that exposed proprietary Samsung code because the company’s engineers used ChatGPT to help with their work remains a stark reminder of how any information you share with a chatbot should be considered public. When considering data removal, it’s natural to ask does Incogni work and how reliable it is.
Information Misuse
Chatbot refinement isn’t the only way an AI developer might leverage usage data. Careless users may disclose personally identifiable details like their name and address. Some use chatbots to gain financial advice or see them as substitutes for doctor checkups and therapy sessions.
Coupled with session logging and user accounts, all of this contributes to creating comprehensive user profiles. Unscrupulous AI companies may sell these profiles to third parties like data brokers and advertisers, deepening unsuspecting users’ digital footprints.
Lax Security
Ethics aren’t a guarantee against data exploitation. If a company employing AI chatbots attracts enough attention, it may become a tempting target for hackers. If you are actively employing AI, make sure to use cybersecurity tools. A password manager for your IT team and company-wide VPNs will help combat hackers.
As for the consequences, on the one hand, hackers may steal client and training data along with other valuable information through a traditional data breach. These happen when hackers exploit unsafe networks or obtain credentials either by theft or through social engineering tactics like phishing.
On the other hand, an attack might target vulnerabilities in the chatbot itself. This can have many adverse consequences, from monitoring conversations and intercepting data users share to poisoning the chatbot’s training data. The latter may cause the chatbot to offer misleading data or provide harmful suggestions, potentially endangering users.
How to Safely Use Chatbots?
While the above concerns are valid, you can stay safe by adopting a few straightforward practices.
Mindful sharing
AI chatbots are neither finance experts nor confidants, so treat conversations with them accordingly. Never reveal personally identifiable information or anything that could be tied to your actual finances or health status.
Keep chatbot conversations general or focus on the service the chatbot is there to provide help with. Opt out of data sharing and periodically delete conversation histories. Use your browser’s incognito mode to prevent the conversations from being stored on your device as well.
Account security
Popular chatbots require you to create an account or sign in through services like Google or Facebook. Any of your other accounts with the same password are also at risk if the login information is ever exposed in a data breach.
Make sure you use a long, complex, and unique password for all important accounts, not just for AI chatbot access.
Enhanced privacy
Interacting with a chatbot can reveal much about you, even if you’re otherwise cautious. Its creators can still see your IP address and use it to assess your approximate geographical location.
Learn how to use a VPN and use one whenever you engage with chatbots to mask your IP address and prevent tracking on less secure networks like public Wi-Fi. Plus, VPNs easily get around geographical restrictions, allowing you to use chatbots you otherwise couldn’t.
Conclusion
While they’re proving to be a net positive for convenience and enhanced customer experience, AI chatbots are another potential source of digital threats. For those interested in gaining deeper insights into the technologies behind AI and data security, enrolling in a comprehensive data science course can provide valuable knowledge. Master using them responsibly to mitigate the risks.