Using ChatGPT Securely at Work: What Every Business Leader Needs to Know

As artificial intelligence tools become more embedded in our daily work, ChatGPT has quickly become a go-to assistant for many of us. Whether drafting emails, creating content, or summarising documents, the benefits are clear: AI can condense hours of work into seconds.

But with this convenience comes a critical question – how can you ensure your use of ChatGPT is secure, especially in a business context?

At South West AI Solutions, we frequently support organisations navigating this balance between innovation and information security. In this article, we’ll clarify common misconceptions and provide clear, practical steps to help you and your team use ChatGPT safely and responsibly.

The Two Camps of AI Users

In our conversations with business leaders, we typically see two types of responses to tools like ChatGPT:

1. Unaware Users These individuals are unaware that anything typed into ChatGPT (or uploaded as a file) may be used to train the model (unless security settings are adjusted). This means any data your people are uploading (including sensitive data or client information) could be leaving your organisation’s secure environment and be stored on external servers, with potential GDPR and confidentiality implications.
2. Avoidant Users Others, having heard this, assume the only option is to block ChatGPT entirely. While understandable, this misses the opportunity to harness tools such as ChatGPT productively and securely.

The truth lies in the middle: you can absolutely use ChatGPT securely at work, but it must be configured correctly.

Best Practice: Use ChatGPT Business or Enterprise

If your organisation is serious about using ChatGPT for professional purposes, the most secure route is to adopt ChatGPT Business or Enterprise licensing. These versions offer critical features including:

• Data privacy: Information entered is not used to train models.
• Encryption: All interactions are protected with enterprise-grade encryption.
• Compliance: Supports GDPR and other data protection regulations.
• Access control: Includes SSO (Single Sign‑On), MFA (Multi‑Factor Authentication) and centralised administration.

Importantly, staff must log in using their work credentials to benefit from these protections. Personal accounts (even if used for work purposes) do not carry these safeguards.

You can view details of ChatGPT’s business pricing on their website here: https://chatgpt.com/pricing

Enabling Secure Use on Personal Accounts (if Necessary)

If your team is still using free/personal ChatGPT accounts, it’s vital to ensure the right settings are in place. Here’s how to disable data sharing:

1. Click your name in the bottom-left corner
2. Select Settings
3. Go to Data Controls
4. Turn “Improve the model for everyone” to OFF

This ensures that any input is not used for model training – a minimal (but essential) safeguard.

Extra Step: Securing Custom GPTs

Custom GPTs (bespoke assistants you can create within ChatGPT) are increasingly popular. But many don’t realise that Custom GPTs also require security configuration.

To configure your Custom GPT securely:

1. Open the GPT and click the dropdown arrow beside its name
2. Select Edit GPT
3. Navigate to the Configure tab
4. Under Additional Settings, uncheck: “Use conversation data in your GPT to improve our models”

Failure to do this could result in user inputs being retained and analysed, even if other privacy settings are enabled, so be sure to check that any Custom GPTs you have created, have got the necessary security configured.

Final Thoughts

With the right tools and training, your organisation can use ChatGPT securely and effectively. The key lies in establishing clear policies, communicating them to your team, and ensuring your chosen AI tools are aligned with your security, compliance, and operational standards.

At South West AI Solutions, we specialise in helping businesses adopt AI responsibly across their teams. From policy creation to hands-on training and secure GPT deployment, we’re here to support every step of your AI journey. To find out more, contact us today by emailing info@southwestaisolutions.com or click here to book a FREE Introductory Session.

FREE Webinar: Helping Your Staff Use AI Securely and Protecting Your Organisation

Understanding the risks of uncontrolled AI use is just as important as understanding its benefits. If you’d like to learn more about how to safeguard your organisation while enabling your people to use AI confidently and securely, register for our free webinar:

🔗 Shadow AI: The Hidden Risk in Your Business

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