AI Usage Policies
Sterling controls AI access one household at a time. Each household is either allowed to use AI features or it is not, and nothing in between. This page explains how the setting works, what it blocks, and why every household starts switched off.
Why AI Policies Matter
Different clients have different comfort levels with AI. Some explicitly request that their data not be processed by AI systems. Others work in sensitive industries with strict data handling requirements. The AI Usage Policy lets you honor those preferences household by household, and gives you a record that you did.
Client Conversations
Consider discussing AI usage during client onboarding. Some clients appreciate knowing they can opt out, even if they choose not to.
Two Settings, Not a Spectrum
Every household carries one of two policies:
| Policy | What it means | AI features |
|---|---|---|
| Full Access | Sterling may process this household's data with AI | All AI features work normally |
| No Access | No household data is ever sent to an AI system | All AI features are disabled for this household |
There Is No Partial Mode
Sterling once offered an 'Anonymized' middle option that stripped names and figures before processing. It was retired. Partial redaction gave the appearance of privacy without a guarantee, and a household either has consent for AI processing or it does not. Any household still carrying the old setting is treated as No Access.
Every Household Starts at No Access
New households are created with No Access. AI stays off until you deliberately turn it on. This is the opposite of how most software defaults work, and it is deliberate: consent should be something you grant, not something you forget to revoke.
The same rule covers the edge cases. A household with no policy on record, or one carrying an unrecognized legacy value, is treated as No Access rather than being given the benefit of the doubt. There is no state in which Sterling processes a household's data because a setting was missing.
Demo Households
Demo households are the one exception. They are provisioned with Full Access so the sample data works immediately. They contain no real client information.
What No Access Turns Off
When a household is set to No Access, these features stop working for that household:
- Advice generation, including Generate Plan
- AI-powered chat and the Command Center
- Document and email fact extraction
- AI-assisted email drafting
Everything that does not involve AI continues to work. You can still record facts, store documents, log interactions, and manage tasks for the household exactly as before.
Reduced Functionality
A household set to No Access cannot use most of what makes Sterling valuable. Set it when the client asks for it or your policy requires it — not as a general precaution.
How to Change a Policy
- Open Settings from the main navigation
- Go to the Household Permissions section
- Find the household in the list
- Set its AI Usage Policy to Full Access or No Access
- The change takes effect immediately
The setting is enforced on Sterling's servers, not in the browser. Every feature that would send household data to an AI system checks the policy first and refuses if the answer is No Access, so the block holds no matter how the request reaches the platform.
Audit Trail
Every policy change is recorded with:
- The team member who made the change
- The date and time of the change
- The previous and new policy settings
You can review this history on the Audit Logs page. It lets you demonstrate, for any household and any date, which policy was in force and who set it.