Why Microsoft 365 Copilot is the better choice

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly finding its way into everyday business life. Employees use AI tools to increase efficiency, but these are not always officially approved or safe. This can become a serious problem, especially in sensitive areas – be it for data protection reasons or because of the risk of security gaps. This is where the concept of shadow IT comes into play: the use of unauthorized software or systems, often without the knowledge of the IT department. AI now presents us with the same challenges and there is a threat of “shadow AI”.

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Shadow IT: A risk to data protection and compliance

Using AI tools outside of the company's own infrastructure poses significant risks. The uncontrolled entry of personal or business-critical data into external systems is particularly problematic. Many popular AI models, including chatbots and cloud services, may process and store input outside the EU – often in the US. This poses a risk that data will unintentionally flow to third countries, which can not only violate data protection regulations such as the GDPR, but also have legal consequences.

A concrete example: An employee wants to formulate an email more efficiently and copies the content into a freely accessible AI application. Unnoticed, the text contains a customer's personal data. Since the AI ​​used stores the text and may reuse it, this is a data breach that is potentially reportable and can expose the company to legal consequences.

In addition, IT administrators have no control over the use of such systems. Mechanisms for access control, logging and security settings are missing. In addition, confidential company information could become public through improper use.

Microsoft 365 Copilot: Controlled AI for companies

A safe alternative to shadow IT is the use of Microsoft 365 Copilot. As an AI solution integrated into the M365 environment, Copilot offers numerous advantages over external AI tools:

1. Data residency in the EU: Microsoft processes company data in regional data centers so that sensitive information is not transferred to third countries.
2. Compliance and data protection: Copilot adheres to Microsoft's existing security and privacy policies and can also be configured accordingly.
3. IT-supported control: Administrators can centrally manage access rights and security policies.
4. Safety precautions: Companies can prevent data loss by, for example, restricting certain data types or user groups for Copilot input.
5. Auditing und Monitoring: Copilot usage can be logged and analyzed via Purview to prevent misuse and ensure transparency.

Conclusion: Targeted use of AI instead of uncontrolled shadow IT

The use of AI in the company makes sense – but only under controlled conditions. The use of external, unauthorized AI tools can pose significant privacy and security risks. Microsoft 365 Copilot offers a secure and data protection-compliant solution that can be seamlessly integrated into existing company processes. Companies should therefore rely on a clear strategy: training for employees, clear guidelines on AI use and preferred use of M365 Copilot to avoid shadow IT.

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Tim Wegener works as a Microsoft 365 Senior Consultant in the Workplace Solutions area. He supports our customers in the conception, development, migration and introduction of Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Teams. With his many years of expertise in collaborative solutions, he always strives for holistic solutions with high customer benefit