Your Staff Are Already Using AI. Do You Know Where Your Data Is Going?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly become part of everyday work.

Whether it's using ChatGPT to draft an email, Microsoft Copilot to summarise a meeting, or another AI tool to help write documents, many employees are already experimenting with AI to save time and improve productivity.

The aged care sector is no exception.

In fact, the opportunity for AI within aged care is significant. Administrative tasks can be streamlined, documentation can be produced more efficiently, and staff can spend less time behind a computer and more time supporting residents.

However, there is another side to the conversation that every aged care provider should be considering.

If your staff are already using AI, do you know what information they're sharing with it?

The Challenge Isn't AI. It's Visibility.

Most organisations didn't officially approve smartphones before employees started bringing them to work. The same thing is happening with AI.

An employee might use an AI assistant to:

• Rewrite an email to a resident's family
• Summarise meeting notes
• Draft a policy or procedure
• Improve a report
• Brainstorm ideas for a presentation

These are all perfectly reasonable use cases. The challenge arises when sensitive information is copied into an AI platform without staff understanding where that information is processed, stored or retained.

For aged care providers, this could include:

• Resident information
• Health or clinical records
• Internal operational procedures
• Staff information
• Financial information
• Incident reports

Often, this isn't done maliciously. It's simply someone trying to work more efficiently.

AI Adoption Is Happening Faster Than Many Organisations Realise

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding AI is that organisations have time to plan for it before staff begin using it.

In reality, the opposite is often true.

Employees frequently discover AI tools themselves and begin incorporating them into their daily workflows long before formal policies or governance are established.

This creates what's increasingly being referred to as Shadow AI—the use of AI applications outside an organisation's approved technology environment.

The result is that IT teams may have little visibility into:

• Which AI tools are being used
• What information is being shared
• Whether those platforms meet organisational security requirements
• How resident information is being protected

For organisations responsible for sensitive personal and health information, this lack of visibility can quickly become a governance issue.

AI Can Deliver Enormous Benefits—When It's Used Safely

This shouldn't be interpreted as a reason to avoid AI. Used appropriately, AI has the potential to reduce administrative workloads across aged care organisations.

Staff could use AI to:

• Summarise lengthy documents
• Draft routine communications
• Search internal knowledge bases
• Prepare meeting notes
• Assist with policy development
• Reduce repetitive administrative tasks

The ultimate goal isn't replacing people. It's giving carers, nurses and support staff more time to focus on what matters most—delivering quality care to residents.

The question isn't whether AI belongs in aged care. The question is how organisations can adopt it responsibly.

Five Questions Every Aged Care Provider Should Be Asking

As AI adoption accelerates, it's worth considering a few key questions.

1. Do we know which AI tools our staff are already using?

You may have an approved AI platform, but are employees also using public AI tools outside your organisation's visibility?

2. Do our staff understand what information should never be entered into an AI platform?

Clear guidance helps employees make informed decisions when using AI in their day-to-day work.

3. Do we have an AI policy?

Many organisations have policies covering email, internet usage and cybersecurity. AI deserves the same level of governance.

4. Are we providing staff with secure alternatives?

When organisations provide approved AI solutions—such as Microsoft Copilot with the appropriate security and governance controls—employees are less likely to seek out unapproved tools.

5. Is AI part of our broader cybersecurity strategy?

AI governance shouldn't sit in isolation. It should form part of an organisation's overall approach to cybersecurity, data protection and information governance.

AI Governance Is Becoming a Leadership Conversation

As AI becomes embedded across the workplace, conversations about AI are expanding beyond the IT department.

Executive teams, clinical leaders, governance committees and boards are increasingly asking important questions around privacy, risk and responsible AI adoption.

For aged care providers, these conversations aren't about restricting innovation. They're about creating an environment where staff can confidently embrace AI while protecting the information entrusted to their organisation.

The organisations that succeed won't necessarily be those that adopt AI the fastest. They'll be the ones that adopt it thoughtfully, balancing innovation with governance, security and resident trust.

What's Next?

AI is already changing the way people work across the aged care sector.

The question is no longer whether staff will use AI—it's whether organisations have the visibility, policies and security controls needed to support its safe adoption.

At Subnet, we work with organisations across South Australia to help them adopt modern technologies while protecting the systems and information they rely on every day. Whether you're beginning to explore AI or looking to strengthen your governance framework, taking proactive steps today can help reduce risk and build confidence for the future.

Interested in understanding how AI fits into your organisation's cybersecurity strategy? Contact the team at Subnet to discuss how we can help you prepare for secure AI adoption.