90% of Pacific workers use unsanctioned AI tools, expert warns
Cybersecurity specialists warn workers are uploading personal and company data to public AI platforms without understanding the risks.
Wednesday 12 August 2026 | 10:00
Updated 14 August 2026 | 11:49 FJT
New Zealand cybersecurity specialist Alex Teh.
Photo: Rariqi Turner
More than 80 per cent of Pacific workers use artificial intelligence (AI) daily, but 90 per cent use unsanctioned tools, putting sensitive data at risk.
Speaking during a workshop in Suva earlier this week, New Zealand cybersecurity specialist Alex Teh claimed that workers, particularly in Fiji, were uploading personal information, family photos, databases and even company source code into free or public AI platforms without knowing where the information was stored or how it could be used.
“AI is useful, but unsecure AI is dangerous,” he said.
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“Using AI every day can reduce research that could take days or weeks to just hours.”
But he warned organisations to know what information workers were putting into AI systems and whether those systems were properly protected.
Water Authority of Fiji team leader Cyber Security Sailosi Ralulu said the risks became even greater when AI was used in operational technology, where a wrong decision could affect human lives.
“If an attacker gains control of an AI system and feeds it false information, the system could begin making recommendations based on incorrect data,” Mr Ralulu said.
Mr Ralulu said Fiji currently did not have specific legislation dealing with AI use, leaving organisations to develop their own controls while relying on existing laws and international standards.
