Trust Stack · Layer 01
Data
Know what your AI is built on
What this layer means
Data is the foundation of everything your AI tools do. Before you can trust AI outputs, you need to know what data your AI tools touch, where that data came from, and what permissions you have to use it.
For most Irish SMEs it comes down to one question. When a member of your team pastes something into ChatGPT or Claude, what happens to it? Where does it go? Who can see it? And do you have the right to use it that way?
Why SMEs should care
- Customer data pasted into public AI tools may be used to train models
- GDPR requires you to know where personal data is processed
- You can't undo a data leak once it has happened
- Most SMEs have no idea what their staff are actually typing into AI tools
Common failure patterns
- Staff paste client emails, contracts, or financial data into public AI tools
- No inventory of which AI tools are in use across the business
- Training data settings left on default (which means your data may be used to train the model)
- No process for deciding what's safe to share and what isn't
Questions leaders should ask
- What data are our staff currently putting into AI tools?
- Have we checked the data training settings on every AI tool we use?
- Do we have a list of what's safe to share and what isn't?
- What would happen if a client asked us exactly where their data goes?
Start here
A practical first action
Spend 30 minutes listing every AI tool your team is currently using. For each one, check whether training data sharing is turned on or off. Turn it off for any tool that might receive client or business-sensitive data. This single action reduces your data risk more than any policy document.
How does your business score on Data?
The AI Readiness Scorecard measures your position across all five Trust Stack layers in about ten minutes.
Start with a thirty-minute conversation
Book a free consultation. We map your specific challenges and identify practical next steps. No sales pressure, just useful advice.