Do you need help & advice with AI & Automation?
It’s great that more people are getting into building software thanks to AI. The barrier to entry is practically zero now, which is fantastic. However, there’s a big catch that many are overlooking, and it could lead to serious problems.
Key Takeaways
- AI can write code quickly, but it doesn’t understand or take responsibility for security, data privacy (like GDPR), or unexpected costs.
- Shipping AI-generated code to real users without a proper security review can lead to data breaches, account hacks, and huge bills.
- Connecting business systems to AI without controls can result in sensitive data leaks.
- Always have someone with coding and security knowledge review AI-generated code before it goes live, especially if customer data is involved.
The Allure of Vibe Coding
"Vibe coding," or using AI to generate software code, has become incredibly popular because it’s so easy to get started. Anyone can create code with AI tools, making software development accessible to a much wider audience. It feels like magic when the AI spits out functional code based on simple instructions.
The Hidden Dangers
But here’s where things get tricky. I recently asked an AI to help with logging website results. What it produced was a completely public store of all the information users entered into the website. There was no built-in security, and anyone could have accessed it. This happened because I didn’t see any code for securing the logs, and the AI just didn’t include it.
This isn’t an isolated incident. We’re seeing more and more stories about people whose accounts are hacked, who face massive bills, or who accidentally expose customer data because their systems have zero security. It’s fine to play around with these tools in a ‘lab’ environment, but when you’re talking about a product that real users will interact with, especially if it handles confidential data, you need to be careful.
Production-Ready Risks
If you’re storing sensitive customer information, a quick look over by someone who knows coding and security is a must. Vibe coding can be inefficient, often creating extra code that isn’t needed and declaring variables multiple times. While AI can generate the code, you need human expertise to understand what it’s actually doing and if it’s secure.
Putting unreviewed AI code into a live production environment could seriously harm your business. It might seem clever and helpful at first glance, but the consequences of a security lapse can be devastating.
Uncontrolled AI Connections
Another growing concern is teams connecting their systems directly to AI without any safety controls. The problem here is that whatever data the AI can access on that system can potentially leak. The systems need to be designed specifically to reduce these risks. This isn’t easy, and even those who script a bit, like myself, might not be experts. However, taking the time to review what the AI is doing and asking questions can make a difference.
Imagine not knowing this and just putting that AI-generated code into production. It might seem to work fine initially, but you could instantly create a GDPR breach, leading to fines and loss of trust.
A Call for Sanity Checks
So, if your team is building web-based applications using AI, please, do a sanity check. Make sure someone who actually knows what they’re doing reviews the code before it goes live. Business leaders, if you need more help or have thoughts on this, please share them in the comments. Don’t let your organisation create "shadow AI" solutions without proper security controls, and definitely don’t run up huge bills or expose data without consulting someone technical.
It’s about making your business more profitable with AI while also controlling the risks. Let’s have a chat about how you’re using AI responsibly.
