Are You Oversharing With ChatGPT? The Career and Financial Risks of Relying Too Much on AI

Are We Oversharing With ChatGPT? The Hidden Career and Financial Risks of Relying Too Much on AI

Millions of professionals now use ChatGPT and similar AI tools to handle emails, clarify financial concepts, draft reports, and even generate code. While these tools boost productivity, they also raise critical concerns: Are we sharing too much sensitive information? Could overdependence on AI backfire, especially in finance-related work?

Key Points to Consider

• More than one-third of U.S. adults using AI for work admit to being “dependent” on these tools.
• ChatGPT fails about 35% of finance-related questions, highlighting risks in relying on it for money advice.
• 11% of data entered into AI tools includes confidential or sensitive information.
• Experts warn against sharing passwords, codebases, and sensitive financial data with AI.

The Convenience Trap

AI tools are fast, accessible 24/7, and articulate. Professionals across major companies use them to polish presentations, improve communication, and spark ideas. But this convenience can lead to oversharing. A study by Indusface found that 11% of inputs to ChatGPT contain confidential work details—everything from internal strategies to proprietary code.

Unlike human collaborators who are legally bound to confidentiality, AI models retain and learn from user inputs. This means your private data could unintentionally influence responses given to others, raising serious privacy and security concerns.

What Not to Share With AI Tools

To protect your career and company, avoid entering the following into AI platforms:

• Work files: Reports, strategy decks, and client presentations often contain sensitive data. Even anonymized content can reveal more than you intend.
• Passwords and access credentials: AI tools aren’t password managers. Sharing this information risks major security breaches.
• Personal identifiers: Names, addresses, and photos may seem harmless but can be misused for fraud or deepfakes.
• Company codebases: Developers using AI for coding should avoid inputting proprietary source material to protect intellectual property.
• Financial data: AI can explain concepts like IRAs or budgeting basics but isn’t a substitute for a CPA or professional financial advice.

Tool or Crutch?

AI works best as a brainstorming partner or a way to organize thoughts—not as a decision-maker. In finance and business strategy, where accuracy is vital, relying too heavily on AI can lead to costly mistakes. Yet many professionals fall into the trap of treating AI as an expert, possibly due to convenience or a lack of formal guidance.

Rethinking Our Digital Habits

With International Passwordless Day on June 23 approaching, now is a good moment to evaluate how we use AI. Are we prioritizing speed over security? Are we outsourcing decisions that require professional judgment to a tool that’s designed to assist, not replace human expertise?

A simple rule: If you wouldn’t share information with a stranger, don’t share it with AI. And if you use ChatGPT for financial planning or business advice, consider the consequences when it gets something wrong. Always back AI insights with critical thinking and professional consultation.

For those interested in learning how to use AI tools safely and effectively in finance, explore specialized AI finance courses to build skills that protect your data and career.