# How I AI: What you should never paste into AI

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-i-work-960132/how-i-ai-what-you-should-never-paste-into-ai
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-i-work-960132/how-i-ai-what-you-should-never-paste-into-ai.md
Podcast: [How I Work](https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-i-work-960132)
Published: 2026-08-02T20:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://omny.fm/shows/how-i-work/what-to-upload-to-ai-2026-07-final
Audio file: https://mgln.ai/e/187/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/190bd54e-82e6-43fb-8f6a-af46001792de/d1a1f455-07ab-4e12-a0d9-b497004be1aa/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=71f0c47d-eac4-4e42-b713-af46001792ec
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/how-i-work-960132/episodes/how-i-ai-what-you-should-never-paste-into-ai
Duration seconds: 869

## Resource

Before you paste that customer list, that blood test result or that contract into your favourite AI tool, it's worth pausing for a second. Whatever you hand over doesn't just disappear after you get your answer. It sits somewhere, and depending on the tool and the settings, it might be doing more than just answering your question.  Most people have never actually checked what happens to their data once it goes in or thought about the difference between what's fine to share and what's better redacted first.  In this How I AI episode, Neo and I work through what's actually safe to give AI and what's better left out. We cover how to check your settings so free tools aren't training on your data, how to de-identify sensitive things like health results and contracts, the rules that change once you're at work, and the one question to ask yourself before you upload anything.  What you'll learn:  How to know if AI is quietly training on the data you give it, and how to switch that off  The one question to ask before you upload anything to AI  Why work and home should be treated completely differently when it comes to AI  What to redact from contracts, spreadsheets and client files before sharing them  Where the line sits between using AI as a sounding board and relying on it too much  Practical AI tools for productivity and focus  Real-world AI workflows used by high performers  How to use AI at work without burning out  Smart shortcuts for managing time and mental load  Connect with Neo Aplin on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/neoaplin/ ) and via inventium.ai ( https://inventium.ai ), where he leads Inventi…

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## Transcript

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