Lesson 8 — Privacy before you paste.
In Lesson 7 you mapped what cloud AI is in 2026. The next few lessons have you using those apps for real — clicking around, comparing answers, maybe uploading files. So before any of that, we sort the habits.
This is the habits layer: what actually happens to your words once they leave your machine, what should never go in a chat box, and how to check one platform's settings before you go further.
What this is not
- A law lecture or a GDPR exam.
- Fear-mongering ("never use AI!").
- Moralising about whether AI is "bad."
It's practical — the exact same instinct as not emailing a stranger your client's bank details.
By the end (~30 minutes)
- A plain picture of what happens when you paste.
- A red / amber / green framework for your data.
- One settings check on ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini (your pick).
- Lab rules for Lessons 9 and 10.
- Three personal rules, written down.
Before you start
- Recommended: finish Lesson 7 first — you'll recognise the rent/privacy preview we expand here.
- You'll need: a browser and an account on at least one of ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini for the settings step.
I learned this one the annoying way — pasted something I shouldn't have into a cloud chat because I was in a hurry. Nothing terrible came of it, but I felt sick about it for a full day. This lesson is the checklist I wish I'd had before I started the hands-on stuff.
Continue when you're ready.