Rolling Out a Safe, Fast GenAI Policy for Consultants
Consulting firms face a critical challenge: how to harness the power of generative AI while protecting client data and maintaining compliance standards. This article provides a practical framework for implementing GenAI policies that balance innovation with security, drawing on insights from industry experts who have successfully deployed these systems. Learn the essential steps to establish a private LLM gateway that keeps your firm competitive without compromising on safety.
Launch a Private LLM Gateway
We started by writing a very blunt rule for the team in plain English. Do not paste anything into an AI tool that you would be scared to see on the front page of the internet. No raw client data, no secrets, no contracts, no internal financials. Use AI for thinking, drafting, refactoring, and research scaffolding, not as a place to dump private archives. Then we showed real examples of good and bad use so it did not feel theoretical.
The thing that actually changed behavior though was setting up a private LLM gateway that sits between the team and the models. Everyone still works in their normal tools, but traffic goes through our own endpoint where we block obvious identifiers, log prompts for audit, and keep everything inside our cloud instead of talking directly to random web chat boxes. Once people knew they had a safe lane that was monitored and blessed, usage went up and the copy paste into public tools dropped off. My advice if you are doing this now is simple. Give people one sanctioned, safe way to use AI that is easy to reach, then back it with a short policy you can explain in a minute. Guardrails plus a clear green light beat long slide decks every time.
Enforce Default Redaction with Data Tags
Tag client data by sensitivity and make those tags travel with the data through every tool and workflow. Turn on automatic redaction at input and at output so secrets and personal data are masked by default. Record every redaction event in an audit log that links to client rules and laws.
Keep a simple exception process with time limits so work does not stall. Test redaction on real use cases to balance safety and usefulness. Start by defining a clear data map and switch on default redaction across all tools today.
Apply Contextual Least Privilege Access
Give each role only the GenAI access it needs and tie that access to the live project context. Limit data scope to the client, region, and time window that matches the work. End sessions quickly and rotate keys so permissions do not linger.
Block prompts that try to pull data outside the allowed context and log those attempts. Turn off access the moment a project ends or a person moves teams. Define roles and contexts, then make least privilege the default today.
Publish a Curated Prompt Library
Create a small set of approved prompts for common tasks so work is fast and on brand. Pair each prompt with short guidance on when to use it and what to avoid. Keep the prompts in version control and mark the current version to prevent drift.
Ask users for feedback and improve the prompts based on results and errors. Train new consultants with short demos so usage is repeatable across teams. Publish the first approved prompt set and run a quick training session this week.
Add Final Human Review Checkpoint
Place a human reviewer as the last stop before any client work goes out. Use short checklists that ask about facts, sources, tone, and client rules to catch model errors. Require named sign‑off so accountability is clear and repeatable.
Set review time windows that fit service level goals so speed stays high. Track defects found after delivery to tune the review focus. Add a human sign‑off gate to the delivery plan now.
Set Clear Latency and Token Budgets
Set clear speed goals for each use case and cap token use to control cost and delay. Route simple tasks to fast models and use streaming so users see results sooner. Cache common answers and reuse them to avoid extra tokens.
Use retrieval to focus context so prompts stay short and sharp. Show teams a live dashboard with spend and latency so they can tune their work. Define latency targets and token budgets per task and enforce them starting today.