Checked: 28 July 2026.

You can ask an AI service to review a contract, summarise a medical report or help draft a reply to a client. But it is easy to include information that you would not publish or send to an unfamiliar recipient.

This does not mean AI services cannot be used with documents. It means you need to understand what you are sharing, why it is needed and what happens to it after it is sent.

A conversation with AI does not always stay on your device

When you enter text, upload a document or attach a photo, the information is normally sent to a service that processes the request. The terms depend on the application, account type, settings and plan. Some services may use conversations to improve models; in others this can be turned off, and business accounts may have separate rules.

Read the current terms for the particular service before trusting it with work material. Settings matter, but they do not turn every document into safe material to share.

Passwords and access codes

Never put passwords, PIN codes, one-time verification codes, recovery codes or full authentication keys into a chat. A genuine support task never requires you to paste these secrets into an AI tool.

If a document contains a password, token or secret link, remove or replace it before sharing the file.

Documents that identify a person

Be careful with passports, ID cards, bank details, medical records, signed contracts, CVs and documents containing names, addresses, personal identification numbers or contact details. Even a screenshot can reveal more than you expect through a name, account number, address or document number.

When you only need help with wording or structure, replace real names and values with neutral placeholders.

Client, employee and partner data

Do not upload customer lists, employee records, correspondence, support tickets or partner documents without a clear reason and permission. Businesses should decide which services are approved for such material and who is responsible for checking the result.

The same applies to internal documents: price lists that are not public, plans, reports, source code, access instructions and information about upcoming decisions.

Financial documents, photos and messages

Invoices, bank statements and payment details often contain both personal and business information. Photos, voice recordings and private messages may contain information about other people who have not agreed to share it. Before uploading, ask whether the exact original is truly necessary.

Check before you upload

  • Do I need the original document, or will an anonymised extract do?
  • Does it contain passwords, access codes, personal data or confidential work information?
  • Is this service approved for this type of material?
  • Have I checked the account settings and the current terms?
  • Who will review the AI’s answer before it is used?

Share less data

Give the AI only the part needed for the task. Remove names, numbers, attachments and background details that do not affect the answer. Summarise a document yourself when that is enough, or use invented examples to discuss a situation.

A simple rule before sending

Before pressing Send, imagine that the text or file will be read by someone outside your organisation. If that would be unacceptable, do not upload the original. First remove sensitive details, use an approved internal tool or ask for advice on a safer way to handle the task.