What not to paste into AI at work

Steps

1. 1

   Find your company's AI rules.

   Ask your manager, IT or HR if there is a policy, and which tools are approved. Some companies have a work account of ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini or Claude that is set up for company data. Some do not allow any.

2. 2

   Check the tool's data settings.

   Many AI tools let you see and change how your chats are saved and whether they can be used to improve the tool. Look in the settings or privacy section of the app you use.

3. 3

   Sort what you want to paste.

   Ask yourself: would I be OK if this ended up somewhere I did not plan? If not, keep it out or clean it first.

4. 4

   Remove the private parts.

   Swap real names for "Customer A", delete account numbers, and round exact numbers if the exact value does not matter for the task.

5. 5

   Keep the useful part.

   Most tasks do not need the private details. "Reply to an upset customer whose order was late" works fine without their name or address.

Prompts you can copy

Clean my text before I use it

Here is some text I want help with. Before we do anything, rewrite it with private details removed:
- Replace people's names with Person A, Person B and so on.
- Replace company names with Company A, Company B.
- Remove phone numbers, emails, addresses, account numbers and ID numbers.
Keep everything else the same so the meaning does not change.
Text: [paste text you are already allowed to share, or type a made-up version].

Describe it instead of pasting it

I need help with a work situation, but I cannot share the real details.
Here is a general description: [for example "a long time customer is upset about a late order and is asking for a discount we cannot give"].
Write a reply I can adapt. Use [Customer name] and [order number] as placeholders so I can fill them in myself.
Under 100 words, calm and clear.

What not to do

These are the things to keep out unless your company has clearly said yes for that tool:

• Passwords, logins and keys. Never. Not even to "help fix a login problem".
• Card numbers, bank details and payment info. Yours, your company's or a customer's.
• Government ID numbers. Social Security, social insurance, passport and driver's license numbers.
• Health and medical details about anyone, including employees.
• HR matters. Performance reviews, discipline notes, pay for named people, complaints.
• Customer lists with personal details, like home phones, home addresses and private emails.
• Contracts, pricing and deals marked confidential, or anything under an NDA.
• Unreleased plans. Products, acquisitions, layoffs, earnings before they are public.
• Other people's private messages that they did not expect you to share.

This is not legal advice. Rules are different by company, industry and place, so your company's policy is the one that counts.

Example

This is a made-up example. You want help replying to a customer complaint.

Risky: pasting the full email thread with the customer's name, home address, card ending and order history.

Safer: "A customer says their order arrived damaged and they want a refund. We can offer a replacement or store credit. Write a calm reply under 100 words with [Customer name] as a placeholder."

You get the same useful draft. You fill in the name in your own email app. Nothing private went into the AI.

Tips

• If your company gives you a work AI account, use it for work instead of your personal one.
• Keep a short list on your desk of what is never OK to paste. It is faster than thinking it through each time.
• Some tools have a temporary or private chat mode. That can help, but it is not a reason to paste things your company says to keep out.
• When you are not sure, ask. It takes one message to your manager and can save a big mistake.

For a look at different tools, see best AI tools. New to AI? Start with what is a prompt.

FAQ

Does ChatGPT keep what I type?

ChatGPT saves your chat history unless you change it, and it has settings for how your data is used. Other tools have their own settings. Check the settings and privacy page of the tool you use, and your company's rules.

Is a paid or work plan safer?

Many business plans come with different data terms than free personal accounts. Ask your IT team which plan your company uses and what it allows.

Can I paste a customer's email if I remove their name?

Often that is fine, but it depends on your company's rules and what else is in the email. Take out names, numbers and addresses, and check the policy if you are unsure.

What if I already pasted something I should not have?

Tell your manager or IT so they can decide what to do. Many tools let you delete a chat, but that may not undo everything, so speak up early.

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First posted October 28, 2026. Last updated October 28, 2026. Free to copy and use, CC BY 4.0.