Let’s talk plain: Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini are becoming everyday workhorses in village offices—from summarizing meeting notes to drafting resident emails. They’re fast, helpful, and often feel like magic.
But here’s the catch: if used carelessly, they can expose your municipality to cybersecurity threats, FOIA violations, and compliance headaches you didn’t see coming.
And yes, even a small-town Village Hall is fair game.
It’s Not the Tech. It’s the Habits.
The problem isn’t AI—it’s how your staff uses it.
Picture this: someone in your office copies sensitive data—budget spreadsheets, police reports, or even internal emails—into ChatGPT to “clean up the wording.” Sounds innocent, right?
But unless you’re using a business-grade tool with privacy safeguards, that information might get stored, analyzed, or even used to train future AI models. Once it’s out there, you can’t reel it back in.
Samsung engineers learned this the hard way in 2023. So did a handful of smaller towns across the Midwest. You don’t want your village to be next.
A Quiet, Sneaky Threat: Prompt Injection
Now add this twist: bad actors are embedding hidden instructions in PDFs, emails, and even meeting transcripts. When your AI tool scans those documents, it can be tricked into exposing sensitive data or acting on malicious commands—without the user realizing.
It’s called “prompt injection,” and it’s the digital version of a social engineering attack. Only this time, the machine gets fooled—and the Village Manager ends up answering tough questions from the board.
Why Municipalities Are Especially at Risk
Let’s be honest: most village IT setups weren’t built for this. You’re balancing legacy systems, tight budgets, and staff who are just trying to get through their workload.
Meanwhile, employees are testing out AI tools on their own, with no policy in place. They assume it’s just a smarter version of Google. They don’t realize they might be putting your compliance and data security on the line.
Here’s How You Take Back Control
You don’t have to ban AI. But you do need to steer the ship.
Here are four ways to start:
- Create a Simple AI Policy.
Spell out which tools are approved, what can’t be shared, and who to ask before using AI on sensitive files. - Train Your Staff.
A 30-minute workshop can go a long way in helping staff understand how prompt injection and data retention work. - Use Municipal-Grade Platforms.
Tools like Microsoft Copilot offer more control over data privacy—many align with CJIS, FOIA, and NIST requirements. - Monitor What’s Being Used.
Track tool usage and block unapproved platforms on village devices if needed.
The Bottom Line: You’re Accountable
If something leaks, no one’s blaming the intern—they’re looking at you, the Village Manager. That’s not fair, but it’s real.
So let’s have a 20-minute conversation to make sure your village isn’t teaching AI how to hack you. We’ll help you put guardrails in place, educate your team, and give you the peace of mind you deserve.
You’ve got enough on your plate. Let’s make sure AI becomes a helper—not a headline: https://rwksolvesit.com/ai-presentation/
