Tuesday, August 25, 2026

AI Assistant's Broad Access Raises Privacy Red Flags

A buzzy new AI assistant called Instinct is winning fans for how much it can do, but it requires sweeping access to your accounts, devices, and data to work its magic. Early users and privacy experts are flagging that its terms of service let it act on your behalf in ways that are hard to fully control or reverse. For small business owners, this is a timely reminder: before adopting any new "do-it-all" AI tool for your business, read the permissions and terms carefully, since granting broad access could expose customer data, financial info, or business communications to unexpected risks. The convenience of powerful AI assistants is real, but so is the trade-off in privacy and security—vet these tools as carefully as you would a new employee with keys to everything.