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Using free AI models safely

Updated 6 min read

Free AI tools can be genuinely useful. A few simple habits keep you, your family, and your work safe while you use them.

1. Assume what you type may be stored

Many AI services keep your conversations, and some may use them to improve their models unless you turn that off. Before you start, look for:

  • the privacy policy and data controls in the app’s settings,
  • an option to turn off chat history or model training, and
  • how to delete your conversations.

Rule of thumb: don’t type anything you wouldn’t be comfortable sending in an email to a stranger.

2. Keep private information out

Avoid pasting in:

  • passwords, PINs, or security codes,
  • bank, card, or government ID numbers,
  • medical records or other people’s personal details, and
  • confidential work documents, unless your employer has approved the tool.

3. Get apps from the official source

Scammers publish fake “AI” apps and browser extensions that copy famous names. Download apps only from the company’s own website or the official app store listing, and check the publisher name carefully.

4. Protect the account itself

  • Use a unique password for each AI service. A password manager makes this easy.
  • Turn on two-step verification if it’s offered.
  • Never share your login, and be wary of anyone offering to “share” theirs with you.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has short, friendly guides to both: use strong passwords and turn on multifactor authentication.

5. Double-check the answers

AI can be wrong while sounding certain. For health, legal, tax, or money questions, treat the answer as a starting point and confirm it with a qualified person or an official source.

If an AI answer includes a link or tells you to download or run something, treat it the way you’d treat a link from someone you don’t know. Check where it really goes first.

7. Watch out for “jailbreak” prompts and tricks

Copy-and-paste prompts that promise to “unlock” hidden features can break a service’s rules and may get your account suspended. They’re not worth the risk.

The short version

Use the official app, keep secrets out of the chat box, protect your login, and verify anything important.