Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 21, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 25 BY JANELLE DROLET Special to WBJ A rtificial intelligence can be a useful tool. Howev- er, guardrails must be in place. Here are 10 things to know about using AI. 10. Since AI use is inevitable, use it deliberately with clear rules of engagement and ownership, monitor and conduct regular reviews. Dra an internal AI usage policy for employ- ees to avoid leaking sensitive data and cost overruns. 9. e biggest risk is not just em- ployees using AI without authoriza- tion and IT oversight, it's the compa- ny's struggle to adopt AI before it can firmly establish governance. 8. Decide what data the AI tool can access, what limits to impose on the actions it can take, and how much of its activities can be reviewed. An ap- plication that only needs to summa- rize a document should not be able to also delete files, send messages, or log into accounts. 7. Most major providers (ChatGPT, Claude) bill based on the exact amount of text the AI processes. If your business exceeds capped limits, you will be charged extra fees for the additional usage. One client of mine was charged $23k in overage. 6. Guardrails suggested by the AI vendor make promises on model behavior and can be bypassed or changed. What matters is how deep the AI can reach into your systems, its powerful capability, and how to respond should something unexpect- ed happen. 5. AI tools purchased for exclusive company use will be easier to manage than the subscriptions employees buy for their own use. Central control will improve visibility, access manage- ment, and data ownership. 4. Try to limit the storage of im- portant company data from personal devices. If business files are reachable from there, then personal AI tools can create risk. 3. Treat newly introduced AI tools like you would a new employee hire. Start by limiting access, supervise closely, then gradually allow for more responsibility. 2. Begin with a slow rollout and do it in stages. Start with a user policy and a small pilot program. Trian users on its haz- ards, run a vul- nerability scan, then gradually expand use when you know the tool is safe, useful and supportable. 1. Cybersecurity is an ongoing process, and everyone needs to do their part in keeping the organiza- tion safe. Janelle Drolet is vice president of sales and operations for Towerwall, a cybersecurity consulting firm based in Framingham. ADVICE & OPINION W BY TIMOTHY MURRAY Special to WBJ V oting yes on Question 7 this November would require cities and towns to allow starter homes — single-family homes on residential lots that meet baseline standards: at least 5,000 square feet in area, 50 feet of public frontage, and access to municipal water and sewer. e mounting lack of affordable housing is no longer just a residential concern; it is an economic disincen- tive actively threatening the state's future workforce. Between July 2024 and July 2025, Massachusetts suffered a net loss of 33,000 residents, with a striking 44% of those individuals under the age of 35. is crisis is felt acutely in Worces- ter, New England's second-largest city. According to Census data high- lighted by the city, Worcester added 25,000 residents between 2010 and 2020 while producing only 10,000 new housing units. As Worcester continues to cement its status as a hub for healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, and higher educa- tion, local employers are increasingly struggling to recruit and retain the nurses, researchers, educators, and young professionals needed to power the regional economy. Local polling commissioned by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce confirms that housing costs have reached a tipping point among community members and the workforce alike. e resident survey reveals that an overwhelming 89% of Worcester residents view local hous- ing prices as unaffordable, while 82% agree that the city must prioritize building more housing. Furthermore, 74% of respondents explicitly favor constructing more multifamily hous- ing to meet demand. ese findings demonstrate that public sentiment aligns directly with the business com- munity's goals: expanded housing production is widely recognized not as a disruption, but as an urgent civic necessity to protect economic vitality and stem outmigration. e WRCC's endorsement of voting yes on Question 7 directly reinforces the city's own municipal policy blueprints, most notably the Worcester Now | Next Citywide Plan and the city's Housing Produc- tion Plan. Now | Next, Worcester's first comprehensive master plan in nearly 40 years, explicitly calls for "gentle, incremental density," smart-growth corridors, and the dismantling of outdated zoning barriers that restrict supply. By advocating for smaller minimum lot sizes, by-right accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and reduced parking minimums on parcels serviced by public water and sewer, Now | Next seeks to incentivize infill develop- ment and starter-home creation. is ballot measure operationalizes those exact municipal goals at a statewide scale. To keep pace with regional growth and remain economically competi- tive, the Healey-Driscoll administra- tion estimates Massachusetts must construct 222,000 new homes by 2035, a goal that demands bold policy changes. By unlocking an estimated 5,700 homes each year statewide, Question 7 would deliver a nearly 50% surge in permitting while putting people in our building trades to work. Recognizing this economic im- perative, major regional business standard-bearers, such as the WRCC, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, and the Home Builders & Remodelers Associa- tion of Massachusetts, have already endorsed the measure. Voting yes on Question 7 advances a market-based solution that unlocks private invest- ment without taxpayer subsidies, protects our local tax base, and en- sures the Commonwealth's emerging workforce can afford to build their futures in Central Massachusetts. Timothy Murray is president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Vote yes on Question 7 to permit starter homes Timothy Murray CHAMBER CORNER W I know about adopting AI for a small business Janelle Drolet 10 THINGS

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