Our team knows not to enter customer data into public chatbots, but how do we establish clear tiered permission levels for which AI tools can be connected to our internal tech stack?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A practical AI policy does not ban innovation; it establishes operational lanes so your staff knows exactly what is allowed. Instead of drafting a lengthy legal document, define three operational tiers for all software across the company:

- Green Tier (Unrestricted Public Use): Standard web interfaces used for generic brainstorming, structuring meeting agendas, or refining internal grammar. No company IP, client identifiable information, or financial metrics may ever be entered.
- Yellow Tier (Internal Sandbox with Non-Training Agreements): Enterprise or API-driven accounts with written contractual guarantees that vendor models do not train on your data. Teams can use these tools to summarize internal notes and analyze scrubbed operational records.
- Red Tier (Direct Database and System Integrations): Tools connecting via webhooks or APIs directly to your CRM, ERP, accounting software, or customer communications. No tool enters this tier without formal testing and sign-off from your Integrator.

Keep the policy on one page. Review tool requests during your weekly Level 10 Meeting™ under the Integrator's seat. When your employees know the exact boundaries, they will stop hiding their AI use and start collaborating safely.