PAAF Red Flag Indicators

Time to Complete: 10–12 minutes

Purpose: Help you recognize when AI should not be used—or only with caution.

Why This Matters

AI is powerful, but it’s not always the right tool. This worksheet gives you a clear list of AI “red flags” to help you pause, rethink, or involve a human when using AI for certain types of tasks.

Part 1: Know the Red Flags

Read each red flag below and check the box if your task might involve it.

Red Flag 🚩	My Task Involves This? (✔️)
🔐 Sensitive Information — Private, personal, or confidential data (PII, health, HR)
⚖️ Legal or Regulatory Impact — Contractual language, compliance statements, policies
🧠 High-Stakes Decisions — Hiring, firing, disciplinary actions, approvals, denials
🧾 Official Records or Reporting — Anything that becomes part of a legal or audit trail
🎭 Human Tone or Emotion Needed — Empathy, conflict, nuance, complex human situations
❗ Unclear Instructions — You’re unsure how to clearly prompt AI to do the task
❌ Bad Past Results — AI has misunderstood this task before or gave wrong info

Part 2: Evaluate the Risk Level

Choose one task you planned to try with AI. Rate its risk:

Task Name: _________________________________________

Risk Criteria	Low	Medium	High
Would it matter if AI is wrong?	☐	☐	☐
Could it affect others directly?	☐	☐	☐
Would I feel confident sending the result unedited?	☐	☐	☐

If you check Medium or High for more than one row, try another task—or ensure a human reviews the output before using it.

Part 3: Plan a Safety Net

If you're moving forward with a risky or borderline task, write down how you’ll keep it safe.

“If I use AI for this, I will also…”

☑️ Add a human review

☑️ Label it clearly as AI-assisted

☑️ Only use it as a draft or suggestion

☑️ Ask someone else to verify key facts

☑️ Other: _________________________________________

Reflection

What surprised you as you reviewed the red flags?

Did this change which task(s) you plan to test with AI?

□ Yes □ No If yes, what are you switching to? ______________________

Completion Checklist

• You reviewed common red flags

• You assessed your task’s risk level

• You created a plan to use AI responsibly