Part 3: Evaluating New AI Tools
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Part 3: Evaluating New AI Tools
Before adopting any new AI tool for work purposes, answer these questions:
1. Who made it and what is their business model? Free tools with no clear revenue source often monetise through data. A free AI tool with no enterprise offering and no obvious way to pay for it is probably selling something you are providing — your data, your queries, or both.
2. Where does the data go? Find the privacy policy. Specifically look for: what is stored, for how long, and whether it is used for training. If this information is not clearly stated, that is itself a red flag.
3. What permissions does it request? Browser extensions that request access to “all websites” or “your tabs and browsing history” have more access than they typically need to do their stated job. Any tool requesting access to your email, calendar, or files should have a clear, minimal-scope justification.
4. What is the data handling for your specific use case? If you are in healthcare, finance, legal, or any regulated sector, “data is stored securely” is insufficient. You need to know whether the tool has certifications relevant to your sector (SOC 2, HIPAA BAA, ISO 27001) and whether it can meet your organisation’s contractual requirements.
5. What happens if the company is acquired or goes under? Many AI startups have been acquired. Data handling commitments from the original company may not survive acquisition. If a tool is central to your workflow, consider what your exit plan looks like.