Shadow AI: 74% of Orgs Unaware of AI Tools In Use

New research reveals 74% of organizations are running more AI tools than they expected. Many companies thought they had five or fewer AI tools, but 30% actually found 16 or more in use. This highlights a significant problem called "shadow AI." Diana Kelley, a Chief Information Security Officer, points out that this gap becomes more serious as AI shifts from human-driven to agent-driven actions, which can access sensitive data. She says security teams need to see what AI tools are running, what data they access, and what they are doing. Randolph Barr, another Chief Information Security Officer, notes that organizations are struggling to build AI governance and inventory while leadership pushes for faster adoption. He explains that departmental pressure to experiment with AI often leads to users bypassing IT and security. This means anyone can quickly set up an AI agent, sometimes using production data. The bottom line is that organizations cannot protect what they cannot see. Gaining visibility into all AI tools is crucial for security.