It’s a question many of us are asking, isn't it? As artificial intelligence weaves itself into the fabric of our daily work, a natural curiosity—and perhaps a touch of apprehension—arises about how our data is being handled. This is especially true when we're talking about tools designed to streamline complex tasks, transforming our simple inputs into powerful outputs. Smartsheet, for one, has been very deliberate in how they've approached this, and their whitepaper offers a refreshing look under the hood.
What struck me immediately was their emphasis on transparency and security. They're not just saying 'trust us'; they're explaining how they're building trust. At its core, Smartsheet's AI functionality is about making your life easier. Think about it: you can describe what you need in plain English, or even use an image, and the AI can help generate formulas, text, or summaries. To make these outputs even more relevant, the AI might tap into the context of your existing data – like your sheet's column names – to craft a more precise response. All of this, the input you provide, the context it uses, and the output it generates, is what they refer to as your 'AI Data'.
And here’s a crucial point, one they repeat for good reason: Smartsheet considers your AI Data to be 'Customer Content.' This means, quite simply, that you own it. Always. They process this data strictly according to the instructions laid out in your agreement with them. This isn't just a nice-to-have; it's fundamental to their approach. They've built their AI features around core principles: Responsibility, Security, Transparency, and Empowerment.
Let's break that down a bit. Responsibility means security and privacy are baked in from the start. You can find a wealth of information on their Trust Center about how they safeguard everything. Transparency is key, and they are very clear: they do not own your AI Data, and crucially, they do not use it to train their models. This is a big deal, and it’s worth repeating. They also make it clear to users when an output has been generated by AI, so you're always in the know. Security, of course, is paramount, with industry-leading strategies in place to protect the platform and your data. And finally, Empowerment. These AI tools are just that – tools. You have the final say. You can accept, refine, or reject any AI-generated output. They even welcome feedback to help shape the future of these tools, making it an optional, collaborative process.
So, what kind of AI tools are we talking about? Smartsheet has rolled out features like generating formulas, creating text and summaries, analyzing data, assisting with new user onboarding, and even providing suggested descriptions within Brandfolder. To power these, they're leveraging robust Large Language Model (LLM) providers like Azure OpenAI and Amazon Bedrock, with Google Vertex AI powering the Brandfolder descriptions. They've also ensured these tools respect your data residency selections, which is another layer of control for users.
It's important to remember that AI, while powerful, is based on probabilities. Outputs might not always be perfect, especially with complex requests. That's why the ability to review and edit is so vital. And that feedback loop? It’s there to help them improve, but it’s entirely optional, and your input isn't directly fed back into the AI models themselves. It’s a thoughtful integration, designed to enhance productivity without compromising privacy or control.
