🚀 AI at the heart of your projects: a powerful asset for your missions, but with conditions...

Artificial intelligence is becoming an indispensable tool in many professions, including for consultants and freelancers. Time savings, automation of repetitive tasks, inspiration... the appeal is obvious.

But in the excitement of adopting these technologies, a fundamental point is sometimes overlooked: the framework for their use.

Because while AI can be a lever for efficiency, it can also be a source of risk. Data confidentiality, reliability of results, respect for copyright...

Here are 6 essential tips for using it responsibly and professionally.

1️⃣ Customer consent: a non-negotiable step

Each assignment is framed by a contract that defines expectations and obligations. Using AI to produce or refine a deliverable can impact the quality, confidentiality and ownership of the work rendered. It is therefore essential to inform your customer and obtain his agreement before integrating these tools into your production process.

A concrete example? A strategy consultant might use AI to analyze market trends and generate recommendations. If this data is then used to write a customer report, the customer must be informed that certain analyses have been produced by a machine and not entirely by a human. Failure to do so can lead to a loss of trust, or even litigation if the contract stipulated 100% human production.

Beyond simple consent, this also helps to educate your customer about the use of these technologies and to lay a clear foundation. Some customers may have strict requirements in terms of data protection or source validation. Be clear, be confident and don't overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it will continue to evolve, and your site can evolve with it. Your goal is to make it a reflection of the present moment. The rest will take care of itself. It always does.

2️⃣ Data confidentiality: choosing the right tool and subscription

Not all AIs are equal when it comes to data protection. OpenAI (ChatGPT), Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini)... Each engine has its own policy for storing queries and using data to train its models. Some free tools record exchanges to refine their algorithms, which can pose a major risk if sensitive data is processed.

One solution is to use professional or corporate subscriptions, which often guarantee better confidentiality management. For example, OpenAI offers a "ChatGPT Enterprise" package where conversations are not used to train the model. Similarly, Microsoft Azure OpenAI lets you host a private model, isolated from public versions.

If a finance consultant uses AI to write analyses based on confidential figures, it is imperative that he ensures that this information will not be stored or reused. Negligence on this point could result in a breach of confidentiality clauses and expose his client to legal risks.

3️⃣ The danger of hallucinations: always validate results

Generative AIs are impressive... but far from infallible. They can invent information, produce subtle or biased errors, or even give totally absurd answers - a phenomenon known ashallucination.

Let's take the example of a legal consultant using AI to draft a legal memo. If he doesn't meticulously check references to articles of law, he risks providing his client with an erroneous document. In a field where precision is paramount, this type of error can have serious consequences.

So it's not enough to simply copy and paste a generated answer. AI is a tool, not an expert. You must always cross-reference information, check sources and reformulate results with your own understanding.

4️⃣ The ethical danger of bias: identifying and correcting it

Another often underestimated risk is the bias of AI models. Since they are trained on huge databases, these AIs reproduce (and sometimes amplify) the biases present in their sources.

An HR consultant using AI to shortlist candidates could end up with discriminatory recommendations based on unjustified criteria, simply because the algorithm has learned to favor certain profiles over others.

Biases can also appear in market analyses, strategic recommendations or financial forecasts. So you need to have a critical eye for the results generated, and be able to spot blind spots or systemic errors in these models.

5️⃣ Intellectual property: pay attention to conditions of use

Contrary to popular belief, not everything produced by an AI is copyright-free.

Some platforms have restrictions on the commercial use of results, while others generate content from databases that include protected works.

For example, some templates are trained on millions of images available online, including some under copyright. A communications consultant who creates a visual with these tools for a client could find himself in breach if he doesn't check the conditions of use.

On the text side, the question is more subtle. Most AIs do not guarantee that their answers are 100% original, as they recompose content from vast databases. A consultant writing a report must therefore ensure that the content generated does not repeat existing passages word for word, at the risk of being accused of plagiarism.

6️⃣ An essential personal contribution: your added value!

AI is a great assistance tool, but it doesn't replace your judgment, creativity and expertise.

A consultant or freelancer can't just take a machine-generated answer and deliver it as is. The real added value lies in interpretation, adaptation and personalization.

Let's take the example of a strategy consultant using AI to analyze a customer database and identify trends. The tool may provide interesting correlations, but it may not interpret the underlying business issues unless questioned.

It's up to the consultant to put these insights into perspective, draw up relevant recommendations and adapt his or her approach to the reality of the market and the customer's expectations.

Your customers expect a critical eye, tailor-made analysis and the ability to formulate appropriate solutions.

" AI is a formidable gas pedal, but it must be employed with discernment. In a world where expertise is distinguished by mastery and critical analysis, knowing how to use these tools responsibly is a skill in its own right. "

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At Venthone, we support our employee consultants so that they can concentrate on their assignments and... make the most of these technologies.

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