In this episode of Reblutionize Your Marketing with AI, REBL Risty interviews Scott Cooper, founder of Tower 23 IT, about how small and medium businesses can safely adopt AI without exposing sensitive data. Scott breaks down shadow AI, insider risk, practical policies, and why employees are both your biggest asset and your biggest vulnerability. He also shares real world examples, from contract review mistakes to voice cloning and granny scams, plus concrete steps to protect your business as AI tools explode in number and power.Key Takeaways- Shadow AI is already in most businesses, with employees quietly using tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Grammarly, and email platforms with built in AI without formal oversight or policy.- The first critical step is an AI acceptable use policy that defines what tools can be used, what data can and cannot be shared, and which departments should avoid certain AI use cases.- Sensitive workflows like contract review, pricing analysis, HR decisions, and candidate evaluation should be done in more secure, enterprise grade AI environments instead of free public tools.- Around two thirds of cyber incidents are human driven, and AI amplifies that risk through scams, data leakage via APIs and integrations, and employees passing off hallucinated AI output as their own work.- Scott recommends that AI always be “sandwiched between humans” with a person on the front end and back end of any AI powered process, plus alignment with frameworks like NIST’s AI risk management guidelines.Chapters00:00 Introduction to AI and Data Security
02:56 Current Trends in AI Adoption
05:49 Understanding Shadow AI and Its Risks
08:58 Establishing Policies for AI Use
11:48 Case Studies and Real-World Applications
15:09 Identifying Red Flags in AI Usage
17:51 Best Practices for AI Security
20:57 The Future of AI in Business
Visit Tower 23 IT's website - https://www.tower23it.com/