Is Your Team Using AI Unchecked?

Here’s Why That’s a Risk

Across industries, employees and departments are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) tools, often without clear rules, oversight, or coordination. From using generative AI to automate documents, to applying predictive models without validation, this unchecked use poses serious risks to your organisation.

In this edition, we explore how AI is being used informally or without governance, the consequences this can create, and how ISO 42001 can help establish safe, compliant, and accountable AI practices.

What Unchecked AI Use Looks Like, and Why It’s Risky

Many businesses are unknowingly exposing themselves to risk through common AI behaviours happening “under the radar”. Here’s what’s going wrong and what it could cost.

1. Using Generative AI Without Vetting the Output

• What’s happening: Staff use tools like ChatGPT to write emails, reports, contracts, code, often copying outputs directly into client-facing or operational systems.

• The risk: Inaccurate, biased, or plagiarised content can damage credibility, breach copyright laws, or create compliance issues.

2. Feeding Sensitive Data into AI Tools

• What’s happening: Employees paste customer data, internal documents, or proprietary code into public AI tools without encryption or safeguards.

• The risk: This can violate data protection laws (like GDPR), result in data leaks, or compromise intellectual property.

3. Deploying AI Models Without Testing

• What’s happening: Teams roll out AI-powered features or decision systems without proper validation, stress testing, or documentation.

• The risk: If the system makes a faulty decision in finance, healthcare, HR, or logistics, the fallout could be financial loss, legal liability, or harm to individuals.

4. No Oversight on Who’s Using What

• What’s happening: Different teams experiment with different AI tools without IT or compliance involvement.

• The risk: This results in fragmented practices, increased cyber risk, inconsistent quality, and potential conflicts with regulations.

5. Relying on AI for Critical Judgements

• What’s happening: AI is used to screen job candidates, approve applications, detect fraud or make recommendations without human checks or audit trails.

• The risk: Lack of explainability or accountability can lead to ethical breaches, customer complaints, and challenges from regulators.

6. Assuming “Free” AI Tools Are Legally Safe

• What’s happening: Employees use free or trial AI tools, unaware of how the tools are trained or whether outputs are legally usable.

• The risk: Use of AI-generated content may unknowingly infringe copyright or contain restricted material opening the business up to legal disputes.

How ISO 42001 Can Help You Regain Control

ISO 42001 is the first international standard for AI management systems. It’s designed to help organisations go beyond scattered experimentation and adopt a clear, structured, and safe approach to AI.

With ISO 42001, you can:

• Set clear rules for how AI can and cannot be used across the business

• Assign accountability for all AI-related projects and systems

• Audit and track usage to ensure transparency and trustworthiness

• Ensure legal and ethical compliance, including GDPR, IP law, and upcoming AI regulations

• Mitigate risks from biased models, unreliable outputs, and insecure data handling

• Establish a culture of responsible AI, with ongoing review and improvement

Don’t Wait for Something to Go Wrong

If AI use is happening informally in your organisation, even with the best intentions, now is the time to get ahead of the risks.

ISO 42001 gives you the framework to manage AI safely, legally, and ethically without stifling innovation.

How CCS Can Help

At CCS, we specialise in guiding organisations through ISO implementation including ISO 42001. Whether you're developing AI internally or using AI-driven platforms, we can help you:

• Conduct a gap analysis against ISO 42001 requirements

• Develop tailored governance frameworks for ethical AI use

• Design robust documentation and policies

• Train your teams on AI risk and compliance

• Support you through the certification process

Get in touch today to learn how ISO 42001 can strengthen your AI strategy, and your business.

Trustworthy AI starts with ethical leadership. Let CCS help you build it.