Workers across the US are secretly using AI to speed up tasks, handle workloads, and even balance multiple jobs, and their bosses have no idea, according to a report from CNBC on Saturday.
With ChatGPT, Gemini, and Bing AI taking over workplaces, employees are relying on these tools to get work done faster while companies scramble to figure out how to regulate AI usage before it spirals out of control.
Big tech companies are throwing billions into AI while laying off employees, forcing those still on the payroll to do more with less, as chief information security officers (CISOs) are struggling to keep up, as confidential company data is being fed into public AI chatbots, potentially exposing trade secrets.
Companies are losing control as AI takes over
Employees are turning to AI tools in secret because they’re useful. Michael Chui from McKinsey Global Institute reportedly told CNBC that workers have always adopted technology before companies did, comparing it to how employees started using personal computers and mobile phones before companies provided them.
“Even when it’s not sanctioned or blessed by IT, people are finding [chatbots] useful,” Chui said. “People were buying mobile phones long before businesses said, ‘I will supply this to you.’ PCs were similar, so we’re seeing the equivalent now with generative AI.”
The issue? AI learns from user input, and public models like ChatGPT and Gemini store and process the data they receive. That means sensitive corporate information could be sitting in an AI’s database right now, accessible to whoever runs the model.
“If you’re a corporation, you don’t want your employees prompting a publicly available chatbot with confidential information,” Chui said. “So, you could put technical means in place, where you can license the software and have an enforceable legal agreement about where your data goes or doesn’t go.”
CISOs are already overwhelmed with cyberattacks, automation demands, and constant AI security threats. Many companies still have no AI policies, meaning employees are sharing internal information with chatbots that companies don’t own.
Businesses that store information on cloud-based platforms already enforce security policies, but AI changes the game. Companies that fail to implement AI security measures now risk exposing critical data.
Some companies are building private AI, but most can’t afford it
Some businesses are trying to regain control by building private AI models or hiring firms to develop secure company-specific chatbots. Sameer Penakalapati, CEO of Ceipal, says creating a custom AI platform is one of the best ways to prevent confidential data from leaking into public AI tools.
If a company builds its own AI assistant, it can ensure only company-approved information is accessible while blocking unauthorized data sharing. Even hiring external AI firms to create custom GPT models is safer than allowing employees to use unrestricted AI tools.
Microsoft is working on customizable AI models for companies, and platforms like Ceipal and Beamery’s TalentGPT are already automating HR processes. But building private AI is expensive, and most businesses don’t have the resources to do it.
“I always tell people to make sure you have technology that provides information based on unbiased and accurate data,” Penakalapati said. “Because this technology is not created by accident.”
AI systems function based on the data they receive, meaning poor data management could create serious business risks. If companies don’t control what their AI learns, it could spread misinformation, introduce biases, or even make legally risky decisions.
US workers are juggling multiple jobs, and AI is helping them survive
Employees aren’t just using AI to boost efficiency—they’re using it to survive. The number of Americans working multiple jobs has never been higher, and AI is helping them manage workloads.
The US job market is brutal. More workers than ever are juggling multiple jobs just to afford necessities, with numbers hitting record highs:
- 8.86 million Americans now hold multiple jobs.
- 5.4% of all workers are managing more than one job, the highest in 16 years.
- Employees with a full-time job and a second part-time job jumped by 395,000 in February, reaching 5.37 million, the highest in 25 years.
- Part-time workers taking extra jobs for economic reasons increased by 460,000 last month, hitting 4.94 million, the highest since May 2021.
With wages failing to keep up with inflation, workers are relying on AI to balance increased workloads, side hustles, and second jobs. AI automates repetitive tasks, generates reports, drafts emails, and helps employees stay afloat in a workforce demanding more output for the same pay.
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