How to Stay Safe and Protect Your Privacy When Using AI Tools

If you’ve asked ChatGPT for advice on a personal problem, used an image generator to create a party invitation, or relied on an AI assistant to draft an email, you’re part of a rapid shift in how millions of people interact with technology. The convenience is real, but so are the risks.

Most users don’t think about what happens to the data they share with these tools. Conversations, uploads, and prompts can be stored, analyzed, and used for training—sometimes in ways you wouldn’t expect. Add to that a surge in AI-powered scams, and the need for basic digital hygiene becomes urgent.

A recent report from the World Economic Forum, titled “Cutting cyber risk in an AI era — and data privacy’s role,” makes the case that everyday users need to take privacy seriously as AI becomes embedded in daily life. Here’s what you need to know and what you can do about it.

What Happened

The WEF report, published in June 2026, emphasizes that the fast adoption of AI tools has outpaced privacy safeguards. Many popular services retain user inputs by default. That means a sensitive question you typed into a chatbot could be used to improve the model—or leaked in a breach. While companies offer some controls, most users never adjust them.

At the same time, AI is being weaponized by attackers. According to a study by security firm SlashNext, AI-powered phishing attacks rose 135% in 2025. Scammers now use generative AI to write convincing emails, create deepfake audio, and even mimic the voice of a friend or colleague. These attacks are harder to spot than traditional phishing.

Why It Matters

For the average person, the stakes are straightforward: the more personal data you feed into AI tools, the larger your exposure. If a service you use suffers a data breach, your conversations, documents, or even voice samples could be exposed. Moreover, that same data can be used to target you with highly personalized scams.

There’s also a subtler risk. Many AI models are trained on user inputs. Even if you don’t share your name, the combination of details you provide—your job, your city, your health concerns—can be enough to identify you. Once that information enters an AI model, it’s almost impossible to remove completely.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t need to stop using AI tools to protect yourself. A few concrete steps go a long way.

Review privacy settings in every AI tool you use.
ChatGPT, for example, lets you turn off chat history and opt out of model training. Google’s Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and others offer similar controls. Make it a habit to check these settings when you start using a new service. The options are often buried in account menus, so you may need to search for them.

Limit what you share.
Think twice before pasting sensitive personal information into any AI tool. Avoid sharing full names, addresses, financial details, or medical history unless absolutely necessary. If you need help drafting a private email, consider writing a sanitized version first and adding the real details later.

Use privacy-focused alternatives when possible.
Some AI tools are designed with stronger privacy protections. For instance, you can run certain models locally on your own device using open-source software like Llama or Mistral. Cloud-based services like Brave’s AI summarizer are built to minimize data retention. Explore options that align with your comfort level.

Learn to recognize AI-generated scams.
Be skeptical of unsolicited messages that seem too personal or urgent. A phone call from a loved one asking for money might be a deepfake. An email that perfectly mimics your bank’s tone could be AI-generated. Verify requests through a second channel—call the person back on a number you know, or log into your bank’s website directly.

What to do if your data is compromised.
If you suspect your information has been exposed—for example, through a data breach notification or a suspicious message that uses details you only shared with an AI tool—act quickly. Change passwords on affected accounts, enable two-factor authentication, and monitor financial accounts for unusual activity. You can also revoke access to AI services and delete your data where possible. Reporting the incident to the platform’s security team may help limit further damage.

Looking Ahead

The AI landscape will keep evolving, and so will the threats. Staying safe doesn’t require advanced tech skills—just awareness and a few deliberate habits. Check your settings, be cautious with what you reveal, and treat unexpected messages with extra suspicion. The World Economic Forum’s report is a useful reminder that privacy in the AI era is not a one-time setup but an ongoing practice.

Sources: World Economic Forum, “Cutting cyber risk in an AI era — and data privacy’s role,” June 2026; SlashNext, 2025 phishing statistics.