AI Safety, Privacy and Best Practices
Creation date: 8/4/2026 12:20 PM
Updated: 8/4/2026 12:20 PM
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (“CSHL” or “Laboratory”) encourages the responsible use of Generative AI tools to further research, education, and general business operations. Generative AI can be a powerful tool, but, if used improperly or without recognizing its inherent limitations, Generative AI can pose risks and compromise the integrity of the Laboratory’s research, education and/or operations.
To ensure responsible use of AI tools, please observe the following:
- Make sure you DO NOT input any PII: Do not input personally identifiable information (names, DOB, addresses, financial or health data, etc.) into any AI tool.
- No proprietary/confidential data: Do not share any credentials, unreleased business plans, or other confidential company information.
- Verify the outputs of the prompts: AI-generated content are sometimes inaccurate or incomplete. Review and validate before using it in production, decision-making, or internal/external communications.
- Report concerns: If you're unsure whether something is appropriate to input, or if you suspect sensitive data was shared by accident, report it to Cybersecurity team immediately.
Misuse of AI tools may result in data exposure and compliance violations. When in doubt, leave it out.
For more information about our AI policy please see the link below.