Is an AI sales assistant safe for your customers' data? A plain-English guide
What Australian store owners should check before putting AI in front of customers, explained in plain English with the Australian Privacy Principles in mind.
By Algoritmi Solutions · 6 October 2026
Putting an AI assistant on your store means it will talk to your customers and, sometimes, see their names, emails and orders. Before you switch one on, it's worth knowing what to ask.
What the Privacy Act expects
The Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles set rules for collecting, using and protecting personal information. In plain terms: only collect what you need, tell people why, keep it secure, and don't use it for unrelated purposes.
Six questions to ask any provider
- Is my store's data kept separate from other businesses?
- Is any customer data sold or used to train public models?
- Who can see order details? Only the customer who placed the order?
- Can shoppers delete their chat history?
- Where is data processed, and is any of it sent overseas?
- Does the assistant ever handle card or payment details?
Update your privacy policy
If you add an AI assistant, mention it in your privacy policy: what it collects, why, and who provides it. It builds trust and keeps you on the right side of the rules.
With Algoritmi Assist, each store's data is sealed off from every other, never sold, and handled in line with the Australian Privacy Principles. Order details are only shared with the customer who placed them, shoppers can wipe their chat memory, and card details never touch the assistant.
