Safe to paste into AI?
Click each card and guess before it flips. Most people get at least two wrong, in both directions.
Go ahead
Tidy it first
Never
Your bank statement
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Tidy it firstThe transactions are fine and super useful (hello, subscription audit). Just delete the account number line first if it makes you breathe easier. AI doesn't need it.
A password or login
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NeverNo chat ever needs a password, yours or anyone's. Same for full card numbers and your Social Security number. There is no task where this is required. None.
Your messy email draft
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Go aheadThis is exactly what AI is for. Your own words, your own thoughts, no one else's secrets. Paste freely and ask for a cleanup.
A client's contract
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Tidy it firstGetting a plain-English explanation is smart. But it's someone else's confidential document, so swap their name for "my client" and remove identifying details. The explanation comes out just as good.
A photo of a confusing letter you received
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Go aheadOne of the best uses of AI, period. It's addressed to you, and "what is this actually saying?" is a question you deserve answered. Cover the account number with your thumb if there is one.
Someone else's medical info
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NeverYour own health questions? Your call, and often genuinely helpful. But someone else's diagnosis, records, or medications are theirs to share, not yours. Describe the situation generically instead: "a family member was just diagnosed with..."
Your business numbers (revenue, expenses)
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Go aheadIt's your data, and AI is a great thinking partner for it. If it makes you more comfortable, turn on the "don't train on my chats" setting first (one minute, in privacy settings). Then analyze away.
Your customer email list
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Tidy it firstDon't paste hundreds of real names and emails into a chat. If you want help with segments or cleanup, use a sample with fake names, or strip the email column and keep just the patterns (signup date, what they bought).
A screenshot of a group text argument
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Tidy it firstAsking AI to help you respond calmly? Honestly great. But those are other people's words and names. Crop or rename them ("my sister-in-law said..."), and you'll get the same wise-friend advice.
Your employee's salary and performance notes
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NeverReal names attached to pay or performance is a trust (and sometimes legal) line. You can still get help: "I have a team member who's great at X but struggling with Y" gets you the coaching advice without crossing it.
Your website copy
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Go aheadIt's literally public already. Paste it and ask what's confusing, what's missing, and what a first-time visitor would think. One of the highest-value ten-minute exercises there is.
Your tax documents
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Tidy it firstUsing AI to understand a form or prep questions for your accountant? Smart. Just black out the SSN and account numbers first. And let the accountant do the filing.
The rule behind every card: treat a chat like a conversation in a busy coffee shop. Fine for most things, wrong for secrets, and other people's information isn't yours to bring. Want the fuller picture, including when to double-check AI's answers?
Read the trust guide →