Surgent's Privacy, Data Security, and AI: Reasonable Precautions in an Unreasonable World

Overview

This presentation explores modern confidentiality, data security, and AI-related professional obligations in an increasingly hostile and deceptive threat environment. It explains how evolving risks such as AI-generated phishing, account takeovers, deepfakes, and inadvertent data sharing intersect with long-standing ethical duties, emphasizing that competence today includes understanding both the benefits and risks of technology. Through real-world examples and practical guidance, the session reinforces core principles like the strategic pause, high-confidence verification, responsible use of generative AI, proper data storage, and personal accountability, concluding that reasonable precautions remain both expected and achievable even as tactics and technologies change.

Highlights

Evolving privacy, data security, and professional-responsibility obligations in a rapidly changing threat landscape
Modern social engineering risks, including AI-generated phishing, account takeovers, QR code scams, and deepfakes
Responsible use of generative AI, emphasizing supervision, judgment, verification, and client expectations
Practical safeguards for protecting data, devices, and confidentiality at work, at home, and while traveling

Prerequisites

None

Designed For

Accounting and finance professionals who wish to learn the latest on AI and its practical, real-world applications

Objectives

Identify modern confidentiality, data security, and technology-competence obligations in today’s professional environment
Recognize and respond to evolving social engineering threats, including AI-generated phishing, account takeovers, and deepfakes
Apply verification, judgment, and supervision principles to the responsible use of generative AI tools
Implement practical safeguards for protecting client and company data across work, travel, and personal technology use