Future-Proofing
Building Guardrails: Securing AI Use Across Departments
Building Guardrails: Securing AI Use Across Departments by Todd Moss
Organizations are hearing about new tools every week.
Their teams are experimenting on the fly. And leadership is caught in the middle—trying to stay open to innovation without letting things spiral.
This post isn’t about AI hype. It’s about something much more practical:
How do you make sure your team is using AI tools safely and responsibly—especially when those tools are moving faster than your policies?
If your organization doesn’t have clear guidance yet, you’re not behind. But it’s time to get something in place.
What follows is a calm, actionable guide to building guardrails—not to slow your team down, but to give them the clarity they need to move with confidence.
Why AI Policy Can’t Be an Afterthought Anymore
AI tools—from ChatGPT and Claude to image generators and spreadsheet copilots—are everywhere. They’re fast, impressive, and accessible. But that accessibility is the double-edged sword.
People are using them because:
They help answer emails faster.
They generate content in seconds.
They “sound smart” in a pitch.
They help solve tedious admin tasks.
That’s not bad. But here’s the problem:
Most teams adopt AI in the shadows. Without guidelines. Without understanding the risks. And without leadership even knowing it’s happening.
This creates a perfect storm:
Sensitive data gets pasted into tools that store prompts.
Employees “train” models using client information.
Departments rely on outputs they don’t vet.
Legal, HR, Finance—all apply AI differently (or not at all).
Without a shared baseline, you’re not building competitive advantage.
You’re playing Russian roulette with your IP.
My Personal Take
After 20+ years helping organizations stabilize their IT environments, I’ve learned this:
Technology should reduce your stress—not add to it.
But when there’s no clarity around AI use, stress builds up silently. It shows up later—when something breaks, leaks, or confuses your clients.
This is especially critical for SMBs and nonprofits, where one mistake can cost funding, trust, or compliance status. I’ve seen brilliant teams make costly errors not out of negligence, but because leadership didn’t give them a framework.
If AI is becoming part of your daily workflow, even quietly, it’s time to build the guardrails.
5 Guardrails to Secure AI Use Across Departments
Let’s break this down into real, usable steps—not vague corporate-speak. Here are five guardrails you can put in place today, even if you’re not “technical.”
1. Create an Internal AI Policy (Not a Novel)
You don’t need a 50-page policy right now. What you do need is a short, living document that clearly states:
What tools are allowed (and which are not)
What data can/can’t be entered
Who owns the outputs
How tools should be vetted before adoption
Who to contact with questions
Pro Tip:
Use plain English. The goal isn’t to impress auditors. It’s to help your team make good choices without second-guessing themselves.
2. Segment AI Use by Department
Each department interacts with risk differently. Let’s look at how:
HR: Resume screening, performance reviews, internal docs. High confidentiality.
Finance: Forecasting, report generation. Compliance and precision critical.
Marketing: Content generation, branding. Public-facing and brand-sensitive.
Operations: Scheduling, email summaries. Workflow efficiency-focused.
You don’t need one blanket policy. You need tailored guidance for how each team uses AI tools—and what their red lines are.
3. Train Before You Trust
It’s tempting to say “Hey, this works! Let’s go.” But pause.
Schedule short training sessions for your teams:
What is AI doing under the hood?
How do hallucinations happen?
Why does prompt history matter?
What are the data privacy settings?
If your team understands the risks, they’ll use AI more effectively—and responsibly.
4. Pick Tools You Can Actually Control
Instead of letting people copy-paste into whatever tool they find, give them vetted, secure options.
A few questions to ask vendors:
Where is user data stored?
Is data used to retrain the model?
Can we restrict prompt history?
Are there business or enterprise plans with admin settings?
Helpful thought:
If you wouldn’t let your team email that information to a stranger, don’t let them paste it into a free chatbot.
5. Set a Revisit Date—AI Moves Fast
This isn’t a one-and-done decision. Your policy should evolve.
Schedule a quarterly review.
Check for new tools your team’s using.
Adjust based on feedback or incidents.
Keep communication open. This isn’t about punishment—it’s about partnership.
A Calm Word on Legal and Compliance Risks
AI tools are still a bit of a legal gray zone. The laws are catching up, but here’s what we do know:
Some outputs may be copyrighted elsewhere.
Some inputs may violate GDPR or HIPAA (even unintentionally).
You might be liable for outputs used in decision-making (e.g., hiring, lending, etc.).
That’s not meant to scare you. But if your team is using AI to generate contracts, evaluate job candidates, or summarize legal documents—it’s worth looping in legal counsel now, not after something breaks.
You don’t need to shut everything down. You need to know what’s happening and build from there.
Human-Friendly AI Policy Building Blocks
Here’s a sample template you can adapt. Again—keep it plain, short, and actionable.
Sample AI Policy Snapshot
Purpose:
To ensure responsible, secure, and ethical use of AI tools across all departments.
Scope:
This policy applies to all team members, contractors, and departments using AI tools at [Your Company Name].
Allowed Tools:
[List approved tools with links]
Prohibited Use Cases:
• Pasting client PII or health data
• Generating legal or financial advice
• Uploading internal strategy decks
Ownership:
Outputs generated by AI are the property of [Company Name], but must be reviewed before use.
Review Cycle:
This policy will be reviewed every 3 months or when a major platform update occurs.
Contact:
Questions? Reach out to [Name] at [Email].
Addressing Common Pushback
When you introduce guardrails, some people worry you’re going to “kill creativity” or “slow us down.” That’s not the case.
Here’s how I recommend responding:
“We’re enabling you to use AI confidently, not banning it.”
“This protects you as much as the company.”
“We want to innovate—just with our eyes open.”
Position guardrails as a greenlight, not a red tape. It gives teams clarity to move fast, not fear of messing up.
If You’re Not Sure Where to Start…
Here’s a basic checklist to get the ball rolling:
Quickstart AI Guardrail Checklist
Inventory which AI tools are being used (ask managers directly).
Draft a short policy based on your biggest risks.
Segment by department and clarify team-specific do’s/don’ts.
Set up secure defaults (e.g., enterprise AI tools with admin controls).
Schedule training and Q&A (even if it’s just 30 minutes).
Revisit quarterly—don’t let the policy collect dust.
Communicate calmly—this is about helping your team feel safe, not policing them.
Final Thoughts
I believe that when technology works well, it disappears. It becomes plumbing—not performance art.
AI has the potential to be a huge asset. But like all tech, it needs a thoughtful foundation. That means starting slow, building guardrails, and leading with clarity—not hype.
You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need a starting point. And if your team feels supported and informed, they’ll use these tools with confidence—and care.
About 24hourtek
24hourtek, Inc is a forward thinking managed service provider that offers ongoing IT support and strategic guidance to businesses. We meet with our clients at least once a month to review strategy, security posture, and provide guidance on future-proofing your IT.
Need help scaling with AI? Schedule a meeting with us today!