Before You Use AI: Questions Every School and Small Business Should Consider

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an everyday workplace tool. It doesn’t matter if it’s for drafting emails, summarising documents, analysing information, or creating draft marketing content, AI has become part of daily life in schools and businesses.

For many organisations, the focus is understandably on what AI can do. However, an equally important question is whether there are clear expectations around how it should be used, particularly in small business or schools settings.

Before we start, this article is not designed to provide any legal, business, privacy, cybersecurity, or educational advice. Rather, it offers a few things to consider for discussion.  It also highlights some of the questions I have been asked by clients, schools and businesses that they may want to consider as AI becomes more common in the workplace.

Does it really matter?

A big misconception about AI is that governance and policy are things bigger organisations need to consider.

Reality is, many small business owners, staff members, teachers, and administrators are likely already experimenting with AI tools, and probably without formal guidance.

Whilst that does not automatically mean AI use should be restricted in small business or schools, it simply means schools and businesses of any size may benefit from considering:

• What tools are being used
• What data is being entered into those tools
• How is the AI generated content being reviewed
• Who is accountable for decisions and outcomes

It isn’t the technology that is the challenge, rather it is understanding of how it fits within your business or school’s existing processes along with various responsibilities that it highlights.

What are the Potential Benefits of AI?

It is clear to see why AI has generated so much interest. It has the potential to achieve so many outcomes.

Productivity Gains

Many AI tools can help with routine tasks such as:

• Drafting emails
• Summarising documents
• Creating reports
• Developing presentations
• Organising information

For busy staff members, this can help release time to focus on deeper and more meaningful work.

Generating Ideas and Creativity

AI can act as a “partner” to assist with brainstorming.

Business owners may use it to create social media content, first drafts of marketing materials or process document.  In Schools, teachers may use it to create lesson ideas and school administrators may use it to create first draft job descriptions.

AI tends to work best when it is supporting staff expertise rather than replacing it.

Accessibility

Some AI tools can help simplify language, create translations of content and support alternative formats and communication needs.

This offers the potential to improve accessibility for a broader audience, making information easier to understand.

Just Because We Can Doesn’t Mean We Should

An often overlooked consideration is that access to a tool doesn’t unequivocally mean it is the best solution for every task.

In fact, throughout history, whilst new technologies have provided opportunities to work differently, the most successful businesses have often been those that have adopted the technology purposefully rather than just because of its availability.

Even though AI could be used in many situations, there will be tasks where subject matter expertise, human interaction, personal judgement or critical thinking are more feasible.  The outcome isn’t to use AI everywhere but to identify where it can truly add value.

What are Some of the Risks?

As with any new technology, AI comes with both limitations and potential risks.

Data Privacy and Confidentiality

A common concern relates to the information users enter in AI systems.

Questions worth exploring include:

• Is proprietary or confidential business information being entered by staff?
• Is customer, student or client data or names being used?
• Is there the possibility sensitive information be unintentionally shared?
• Does the organisation understand where data is stored or processed?

Despite using reputable platforms, it may be worth understanding a business or school’s responsibilities relating to privacy and data management of its students, clients or customers information.

Data Accuracy

AI generated content can appear convincing in its accuracy.

Additionally, it can also generate incomplete, out of date or simply wrong information which may or may not be obvious.

This is one of the major reasons why any AI generated content may need to be reviewed and verified before being relied upon, or better yet, used as a framework or starting point to assist in building out task needs.

A useful approach is: AI can assist staff with tasks and aid decision making, but it should not replace human interaction or judgement.

Data Bias and Objectivity

Because AI systems work, and are trained on large amounts of information, they may sometimes reflect bias or lack objectivity within the data.

This is why it is important to always consider the need for:

• Critical thinking
• Human oversight
• A variety of perspectives
• Balanced decision making

The responsibility for outcomes remains with those using it, the technology is simply a tool to support people.

Intellectual Property and Copyright

AI has also opened the proverbial “Pandora’s Box” of questions around intellectual property and copyright. 

For example:

• If AI creates content, who owns it?
• Is it then OK to use it commercially?
• If AI is used to produce materials, what responsibilities sit with the person who requested them?

Things are moving and evolving so quickly, many of these may require professional advice depending on the circumstances.

Why Are So Many Organisations Exploring Microsoft Copilot?

When talking about AI in the workplace with clients, Microsoft Copilot is often part of the conversation.

One of the main reasons is that it seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 applications many schools and businesses are using already, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Some advantages may include:

• Ability to integrate AI via Copilot with existing workflows
• Ability to grant permission based access to school or business information
• Microsoft’s Enterprise security features
• Microsoft inbuild compliance and governance capabilities

Even with platforms designed for workplace use, schools and businesses may still wish to consider policy, training, permissions, and responsible use.

Whilst AI technologies are continue to evolve, schools and businesses should be mindful that not considering the implications of how they use AI does not remove responsibility for outcomes.

Obligations such as privacy, information security, record keeping responsibilities, and professional standards will continue to apply regardless of if a task is completed by a human or supported by AI.

If problems arise, simply being unaware of a risk, limitation, or obligation is unlikely to be accepted as adequate justification.  Before adopting any new tools, schools and businesses should take time to get clear on both the responsibilities and opportunities as part of the decision making process.

Questions Every School or Business Should Be Asking

Some broader questions to consider rather than just focusing on whether to use a tool could be:

Governance Perspective

• Who in the school or business is responsible for overseeing AI use?
• What tools are approved and who can and can’t use them?
• How will use and value be assessed?

Privacy and Security Considerations

• What information can be or should not be entered into AI systems?
• Are staff aware of their role in the organisation’s privacy obligations?
• Are the current policies outlining this sufficient?

Human Management

• How will AI generated content be reviewed and to what level?
• Who holds accountability for decisions supported by AI?

Training and Awareness

• Do staff understand the benefits, limitations and the implications of using AI?
• Have they had appropriate training?
• Are they clearly aware formally of expectations of use?

Does Every School or Business Need an AI Policy?

Organisations may benefit from documenting AI use and providing clarity particularly as adoption increases in the workplace.

This could take the form of documentation outlining:

• AI’s purpose and intended use within the workplace
• What tools are and aren’t approved
• Highlighting privacy considerations
• Identifying acceptable and unacceptable uses
• Identifying requirements for content review

As AI evolves, like any policy or procedure, this document will become fluid and change as use and circumstances change.  The objective of having some documentation is to create clarity and consistency of use rather than an extra layer of bureaucracy.

New Technology – The Learning Burden

New technology does not automatically reduce the workload.  When organisations introduce new tools or processes and don’t replace outdated ways of working, clearly explaining the benefits, or addressing the concerns of the people expected to use them, they can unintentionally add complexity rather than reduce it creating a “learning burden”

This often leaves staff uncertain about why the change is needed, what it means for their role, and whether the technology is there to replace or support them.

Whilst AI may offer significant benefits, it also requires staff to learn new skills, be aware of new risks, and adapt their existing ways of working.

The hours of each working day won’t change, so organisations may benefit from asking : If we start doing this, what will we stop doing? When considering adopting an AI solution. Without considering this, technology can sometimes simply add more “stuff” to be done rather than reducing the load. 

Final Thoughts

Regardless of whether your school or businesses actively embraces AI or not AI is NOT going away.  The discussion is no longer just about whether to utilise it or not; it is now about accountability, responsibility and making decisions that are informed in an environment that seems to be changing every day.

AI provides opportunities to aid creativity, improve productivity, and reduce or simplify repetitive work.  However, schools and business need to remain aware of the importance of human oversight, privacy considerations and data accuracy.

Every school and business will have different requirements, perspectives, priorities, and risks to consider.  Because of that, there really is not a “one size fits all” approach to AI adoption.

Rather, the most important step is to simply start asking the right questions.

Want to better understand how Microsoft Copilot works across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook?

My Microsoft Copilot microlearning course provides a practical introduction to what Copilot can do within each application and may help you start asking more informed questions about how it could fit into your workplace. You can get it here: https://productivityportal.thinkific.com/courses/MCP

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Disclaimer: This article is intended for general information and discussion purposes only. It should not be considered legal, privacy, cybersecurity, educational, compliance, financial, or business advice. Organisations should seek professional advice relevant to their own circumstances before implementing AI technologies, policies, or governance frameworks.