Quick answer: Before you connect AI to business systems, limit its permissions, protect sensitive data, keep a human in the loop for important actions and record everything it does.
The checklist
- Least privilege: give the AI only the access its task needs.
- Separate identity: use a dedicated account, never a shared or administrator login.
- Read before write: start read-only and add changes later.
- Human approval: require sign-off for payments, deletions and customer messages.
- Data protection: know what data leaves your systems and where it is processed.
- Logging: keep a record of requests and actions.
- Trusted servers only: install MCP servers from sources you trust and pin the version.
- Regular review: check permissions and logs on a schedule.
Why it matters
AI assistants can be tricked by text hidden in documents or web pages. Tight permissions limit the damage if that happens.
FAQ
Do small businesses need this?
Yes. The risks are the same, and the fixes are simple.
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