Artificial Intelligence is transforming how organisations operate. From automating processes to generating insights, it offers unprecedented opportunities. But alongside this opportunity comes a quieter, less technical challenge: AI misuse by humans inside organisations.

When we talk about AI risk, the conversation often fixates on model bias, adversarial attacks, or regulatory compliance. Yet many of the most immediate risks don’t come from the technology itself – they come from the way people choose to use it.

Everyday Misuse of AI

Consider these scenarios:

  • An employee pastes sensitive customer data into a public AI chatbot to “make their job easier.”
  • A team automates critical decision-making without oversight, trusting the machine more than their own judgment.
  • A manager uses AI-generated content without verifying its accuracy, which can lead to reputational or legal fallout.

These aren’t edge cases. They’re human behaviours – mistakes, shortcuts, and misjudgements amplified by powerful tools.

Where HCRM Steps In

This is exactly where Human Cyber Risk Management (HCRM) becomes critical. HCRM helps us understand, measure, and influence human behaviours that put security at risk. Applied to AI, it can:

  • Diagnose risky behaviours: Identifying where employees are most likely to misuse AI (e.g., through surveys, observation, or incident analysis).
  • Build cultural norms: Embedding shared values around responsible AI use, so “how we use AI here” becomes part of the culture.
  • Design targeted interventions: Creating behavioural nudges, just-in-time prompts, or peer-led practices that encourage secure choices in real time.
  • Establish trust and psychological safety: Ensuring employees feel they can ask questions about AI use without fear of punishment, reducing the chance of quiet, risky workarounds.

Improving the Security of AI Use

Just as HCRM reframed cybersecurity around people, it can reframe AI security around responsible human adoption. The goal is not to block innovation, but to ensure that:

  • AI tools are used securely and ethically.
  • Employees understand both the power and limits of AI.
  • Organisations foster a culture of accountability and trust.

Technology alone cannot stop AI misuse. But combining AI governance with human risk management creates a balanced approach: secure by design, and secure in practice.

Looking Forward

The conversation about AI security is incomplete without human risk at its core. HCRM offers the missing piece – not only reducing the likelihood of misuse, but also improving confidence in AI adoption across the organisation.

For leaders, this means rethinking risk not just in terms of systems and compliance, but in terms of everyday human decisions that determine whether AI becomes a competitive advantage or a security liability.



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