The shadow AI struggle is real. According to one study, 85% of IT decision makers say employees are adopting AI tools before IT can even assess them.

The study, covered by Help Net Security here, says that, despite formal guidelines and sanctioned tools, shadow Al has become the norm rather than the exception.

Here are some notable stats that illustrate the shadow AI struggle:

• 70% of IT decision makers (ITDMs) have identified unauthorized AI use within their organizations.
• 60% of employees are using unapproved AI tools more than they were a year ago.
• 93% of employees admit to inputting information into AI tools without approval.
• Summarizing notes or calls (55%), brainstorming (55%), and analyzing data or reports (47%) are the top tasks employees complete with shadow AI.
• 32% of employees entered confidential client data into AI tools without confirming company approval, while 37% entered private, internal company data.
• 53% of ITDMs say employees’ use of personal devices for work-related AI tasks is creating a blind spot in their organization’s security posture.
• Only 54% of reporting organizations report their organizations have implemented AI governance policies.
• And… 85% of ITDMs report that employees are adopting AI tools faster than their IT teams can assess them.

What should be done about it? Here are some recommendations from those same ITDMs and employees:

63% advise integrating approved AI tools into standard workflows and business applications, 60% suggest implementing policies on acceptable AI use, and 55% suggest establishing a list of vetted and approved tools.

66% of employees recommend setting policies that are fair and practical, 63% recommend providing official tools that are relevant to their tasks, and 60% advise providing better education on understanding the risks.

I was shocked earlier this year when someone from the corporate legal department at a major corporation said they have a “no AI” policy. Not even the use of Grammarly was allowed. Of course, does that mean no one at that company is using AI for anything? I highly doubt it.

The best way to get control of the shadow AI problem is to establish policies ASAP for their authorized use. Because people are going to use them anyway.

So, what do you think? Are you surprised that 85% of IT decision makers say employees are adopting AI tools before IT can even assess them? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Image created using Microsoft Designer, using the term “stressed robot IT person trying to keep up with their job”.

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