DSPM for AI: 2025 Guide for Generative AI Data Security Readiness

Generative AI (GenAI), with tools like ChatGPT and advanced Large Language Models (LLMs), is revolutionizing enterprise workflows, but it also significantly amplifies the risks to sensitive data.

Employees could unknowingly expose proprietary or regulated information through GenAI interfaces, creating unprecedented data security challenges. DSPM for AI isn’t merely a new category but an evolution in Data Security Posture Management (DSPM), designed specifically with AI capabilities.

Forcepoint DSPM helps address three critical questions every organization needs to answer:

• Where is your sensitive data?
• Who has access to it?
• What risks does it pose?

Forcepoint’s approach simplifies the complex process of discovering and classifying your data, helping support compliance and robust security efforts. 

Understanding DSPM for AI

DSPM is a security solution that enables enterprises to discover and classify structured and unstructured data across file storage locations, such as cloud applications or on-premises. It also helps to proactively address incident remediation.

When looking at Forcepoint’s solutions, Forcepoint DSPM can help secure data postures and support GenAI data security readiness. DSPM helps with AI by offering visibility and control into data readiness for all GenAI applications. It is also able to secure Copilot and ChatGPT Enterprise usage. 

The Four Ws of Data Protection

While your organization explores the right DSPM solution, you should consider these four questions: What?, Where?, Who? and Why? Considering these can help organizations clearly define data protection needs: 

• What data do you have?
• Where is it stored?
• Who can access it?
• Why is it necessary?

Understanding these elements is vital, especially when considering the massive amount of dark and ROT (redundant, obsolete, trivial) data scattered throughout your organization. Excessive amounts of sensitive data (duplicates, over-shared, ROT) increase the risk of non-compliance with privacy regulations.

A solution such as Forcepoint DPSM can be helpful for organizations with challenges like these and more: 

• Large amounts of shadow data
• Over-permissioned data
• GenAI data leakage risks
• Unidentified data locations 

Data Discovery and Visibility in the AI Era

With the rising usage of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, organizations are facing immense risks related to potential sensitive data loss. Forcepoint DSPM software scans any data source and uses proprietary AI Mesh technology to identify, categorize and remediate high-risk data.

More specifically, our AI Mesh helps data discovery and classification efforts with AI. It supports efficient and reliable data discovery and classification, reducing false positives and enhancing incident alert accuracy.

AI-Powered Classification: Forcepoint AI Mesh Advantage

Traditional classification methods fall short in accurately identifying sensitive GenAI data. Forcepoint’s innovative AI Mesh architecture leverages a combination of a Small Language Model (SLM), deep neural network classifiers, light AI classifiers and other predictive AI and data science capabilities to deliver more rapid, accurate and efficient data classification.

This robust combination helps enhance accuracy and categorization precision. The engine that keeps Forcepoint AI Mesh running is a generative AI Small Language Model. The SLM helps set in motion the AI-powered classification process, determining a piece of data’s sensitivity and criticality based on contextual criteria.

SLMs are nimbler and more efficient than LLMs, providing low-latency capabilities at a fraction of the resources their larger counterparts require. These models are highly customizable and when used within the AI mesh, deliver lightning-fast data classification with bull’s-eye accuracy.

By leveraging customizable AI-model training with Forcepoint AI Mesh, Forcepoint DSPM reduces the risk of data breaches and helps support compliance with privacy regulations with highly accurate data identification. 

Benefits of Forcepoint AI Mesh

Our AI Mesh is great for data classification, but it has additional benefits that can bolster your organization’s data security strategy on a broader scale:

• Reduce Risk: Get rapid, accurate data classification, and minimize the need for extensive personnel training or technological maintenance.
• Cut Cost: Reduce the need for expensive computing resources in GPUs, and save on resources aligned with maintenance or training.
• Increase Productivity: Provide highly efficient data classification to save time without compromising the accuracy of the technique.
• Streamline Compliance: Account for AI and privacy regulation requirements with easily auditable and explainable AI technology. 

Prioritize and Accelerate Remediation

Organizations can also supplement Forcepoint DSPM by adding on Forcepoint Data Detection and Response (DDR).
Our DDR software uses AI-powered classification and continuous monitoring for dynamic detection and prevention of data exfiltration. With a solution like this, don’t just identify risks; prioritize and accelerate remediation of risks. DDR may be ideal for your organization if you’re looking for any of the following features: 

• Detect and respond to potential data breaches and insider threats
• Dynamically protect sensitive data in use
• Get extensive visibility across clouds and endpoints
• Save money through breach prevention 

The Future of DSPM for AI

With growing adoption, organizations should proactively secure generative AI workflows to stay ahead of compliance deadlines such as those established by the EU AI Act.

Forcepoint’s solutions, such as Forcepoint DSPM powered by our AI Mesh, can uniquely help organizations with data readiness for all GenAI applications.

Learn more about Forcepoint DSPM today, and take the next steps toward proactively prioritizing and remediating data risk.