b'The Tech Cumulus MARCH 2026AI TOOLS ARE EVERYWHERE HERES HOW TO USE THEM WITHOUT MAKING A MESS.You log back into work after a well-deserved break,AI can summarize trends, flag anomalies, surfaceWhat AI Done Right Actually and your inbox is already full. Meetings are stackingpatterns in support tickets and churn and turnLooks Likeup. The to-do list is longer than you remember.raw numbers into plain English. Think of it as aReal businesses dont start with massive AI Youre back to doing too much with too little time. sorting machine, not a crystal ball. transformations. They pick one or two time-And now, on top of everything else, artificialThe Guardrails: How to Use AIwasting processes, add AI with guardrails, intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Without Doing Something Dumb measure the impact and expand slowly.Every app is pushing the same message: AddThis is where most businesses get burned. TheyThe businesses pulling ahead arent chasing hype. AI. Automate with AI. Use AI or fall behind.treat AI like a search engine and accidentally feedTheyre experimenting safely.Meanwhile, youre wondering where this actuallyit something sensitive. Because the real question is not whether or not helps your business and how to keep it fromRule 1: Never paste sensitive data intoyour team is using AI. Its whether theyre using blowing up in your face. public AI tools. it safely.Right now, AI is the new intern everyone hiredCustomer information, payroll or HR data, without training. While interns can be amazing,passwords and internal financials do not belong in they can also make big mistakes if nobody sets rules. AI prompts. If you wouldnt want it to be public, DONT share it with the AI tool. SHINY NEW GADGET OF THE MONTH3 Time-Saving Ways to Use AI inRule 2: Control who can use what.Your Business Shadow AI is exploding in small businesses.SOLOS AIRGO A5 AI Here are three easy ways AI tools can save you time. Employees sign up for random tools withSMART GLASSES1. Inbox Triage and First-Draft Replies corporate accounts because they want to be If your inbox feels overwhelming, AI can helpefficient. You need an approved tools list, clearThe Solos AirGo A5 AI Smart Glasses reduce the noise. It can scan long email threads,guidance on acceptable data use and tighterbring hands-free AI into your line of surface what matters, draft solid first responses andpermissions for sensitive roles. sight. With these smart glasses, you flag messages that need attention. What it cannotRule 3: AI drafts. Humans decide. can translate text on the fly and access do is understand customer nuance or decide whatWe said it before, but its so important we cantcontextual information while staying the actual reply should be.emphasize it enough. Anything created by AI thatfocused on the task in front of you.That workflow should remain simple: AI drafts.goes out under your brand should be reviewedFor busy business leaders, this means fewer Humans approve. and approved by a human. No exceptions. interruptions and faster decisions. Instead Rule 4: Assume everything you type isof stopping to search, information comes 2. Meeting Notes That Turn Into Action Lists being stored. to you in real time. Its a small shift that Meetings are a tax on productivity. The biggeradds up to time savings over a busy week.problem isnt the meeting itself, its what happensPublic AI tools live on someone elses servers. after it ends. Even if data is not being used today, it is still stored somewhere. Like the internet, assume AI note tools can summarize conversations,data sent to an AI tool lives forever and act highlight decisions, capture action items, assignaccordingly.owners and generate clean recaps. This reducesRule 5: When in doubt, dont paste.wait, what did we decide? moments and helpsIf youre not sure if something is okay to paste, prevent tasks from slipping through the cracks. dont share with AI until you ask. Make it so 3. Simple Reporting and Forecasting others feel comfortable to ask questions.Most business owners dont lack data; they lack the time to interpret it.Technology That Works!844-KLOUD9IT (556-8394)3'