AI is taking over the world, and it can be useful if you run a small business or a non-profit organization. However, there are important factors that will protect your business from the same “AI slop” that is all over social media. In this article, we will discuss how (and how not) to properly use AI as a small business.
How To Use AI
Enhance Thinking
It is never a good idea to ask AI to copy-and-paste social media questions; that would be lazy. Instead, you should use tools like ChatGPT or Claude to test new business ideas, come up with marketing strategies, or simulate customer interactions.
Upgrade To Paid Tiers
Free AI models generally use your inputs to train future models, risking confidential data leaks. Instead, you can upgrade to business/enterprise subscriptions that can keep your data secure.
Automate Routine Tasks
The best use case for AI is to automate low-stakes tasks, such as generating outlines from existing product pages or drafting initial responses to reviews or FAQs. Of course, you should proofread the AI’s response, so that it isn’t too obvious.
How Not To Use AI
Don’t Share Confidential Customer Data
You must never input any personal customer data, proprietary source code, or confidential financial records into public or free AI chat boxes. This will cause potential data leaks that will hurt your business in the long run.
Don’t Skip Human Fact-Checking
This rule is also important, as AI models are prone to distorting facts or statistics (this is definitely a problem with Google’s AI overviews). You should never publish any AI-generated content unless you have proofread and fact-checked the information yourself. Be sure to start with sources, not finish with them.
Don’t Deceive Your Customers
Always be transparent with your customers. If you do choose to use AI chatbots, remember to tell your customer that they are interacting with an automated system that was programmed by a human. Remember: the most important part of running a business is integrity.
Remember:
You may choose not to use AI. That’s also fine. It’s important that your business has a policy in place to ensure that all of its employees are on the same page about when and when not to use AI. As a small business, you may decide to use another small business’s services instead of using AI, which will often deliver better results. Unlike AI, Bronx River Digital can get things right the first time. Contact us at bronxriverdigital.com.