AI assistants are increasingly being connected to email, cloud storage and business applications. This can make them very useful—but it may also allow them to act with the same access and permissions as the account behind them.
If an account can read confidential email, open customer files, change business records or send messages, a connected AI assistant may be able to do those things too.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre has warned organisations about AI agents taking unexpected actions that their operators did not intend or authorise.
Before connecting an AI assistant to business systems, check three things:
1. Limit its permissions
Give it access only to the accounts, files and applications required for its specific task. Avoid using an administrator account where a restricted account will do.
2. Require human approval
Sending emails, sharing files, changing records, deleting information, making purchases and running code should require approval before the action is completed.
3. Keep a record of its actions
Enable available activity logs and periodically review what the assistant accessed, changed or attempted to do—especially when a task failed or it encountered a restriction.
AI can save considerable time, but convenience should not mean unrestricted access.
Treat an AI assistant like any other user connected to your business: give it only the access it needs, supervise important actions and make sure its activity can be reviewed.