It has already gone mainstream. Artificial intelligence is everywhere. It is in the operating system that runs the factory. It is in the tool that designs presentations. It is in the creation of an image of something that does not exist, with unimaginable quality. It is in flawless digital scams. It is in cybersecurity applications that defend companies from digital fraud. It is in audio or video created of people who are no longer alive. It is in college assignments done without reading a book. It is in organizing an email or planning a trip without thinking. It is in selecting candidates for interviews. Everyone uses it constantly, at every moment of the day.

This is the reality for a large part of the population, especially companies that are attentive to the many opportunities AI has brought to their operations. But are we prepared to use AI? And to replace it when it is not operating? What if it fails, creates something that does not exist, or copies a work protected by intellectual property? Are we ready to critically assess it? What if the country where your cloud data is stored cuts connections? What if your company’s most important project of the year is uploaded to train an AI system?

Yes, dependence on this remarkable human invention is increasingly clear. In both private and business life, AI plays a fundamental role in the pursuit of efficiency. But over time, what will come with its use, especially if it is not planned, monitored, and if its decisions are not reviewed?

Companies have not yet fully recognized the risks of using AI without clear governance for this tool. The risk of hallucinations in AI assessments, the creation of bias and discrimination through unqualified data, infringement of copyright without the company realizing it, exposure of trade secrets, and the expansion of cyber risks are just some examples of risks companies are facing without noticing.

In addition, there is a silent strategic risk: technological sovereignty. Who controls the model? Where is the data stored? Who can access it? A company may unknowingly be handing over sensitive information to third parties and other countries, subject to laws and interests completely beyond its control.

Of course, the solution is not to prohibit its use, but to implement Artificial Intelligence Governance, with clear rules, auditing, access control, definition of permitted tools, classification of sensitive information, employee training, and mandatory human review for critical decisions. And this is not only because the law may require it, but because it reduces risks and increases financial returns after so much investment.

AI is inevitable and amplifies existing risks. The entrepreneur who does not govern its use today may discover too late that they have outsourced the future of their own company to a system that does not explain, does not guarantee, and does not assume responsibility. And that can be very costly.