Shadow AI is a phenomenon increasingly present in Polish and global organizations, raising serious concerns among security experts and IT managers. Below you will find an expert article explaining the essence of shadow AI, its typical symptoms and risks, as well as actionable recommendations for companies.
What Is Shadow AI?
Shadow AI, or “artificial intelligence in the shadows,” describes the use of AI solutions at work without the knowledge, approval, or oversight of supervisors or the IT department. Most often, this involves independently launching tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, or dedicated analytic and generative applications—bypassing official organizational deployment procedures. The problem is similar to the known issue of shadow IT - employees using unauthorized software or cloud services. According to research, already more than 30% of employees have sent confidential data to AI tools without their supervisors’ knowledge, ignoring security policies and required regulations.
Why Does Shadow AI Emerge?
Shadow AI arises because the rapid development and intuitive ease of modern AI tools encourage employees to use them in order to boost their efficiency and reduce the time spent on tasks. In many companies, official tools are limited or do not meet all needs, so employees seek alternative solutions on their own - sometimes disregarding possible consequences. Additionally, the lack of clear guidelines and company AI policies, as well as too little awareness of the risks tied to unauthorized AI use, make such behaviors increasingly common. In practice, AI tools are used for content generation, data analysis, process automation, or document editing - often without complete control or understanding of the possible outcomes.
The Key Risks of Shadow AI
Using AI outside the organization’s control generates a range of serious risks:
Leakage of confidential data (e.g., sending documents to external chatbots).
Violations of IT security policies and data protection regulations (like GDPR).
Lack of centralized monitoring, resulting in delayed responses to incidents or attacks.
Loss of knowledge about how AI tools influence work and decision-making in the company.
Potential organizational mistakes, regulatory violations, and even legal sanctions.
How to Minimize Shadow AI? Recommendations for Companies
To minimize shadow AI risk, organizations should:
Implement AI tools integrated with corporate security and monitoring systems.
Educate employees about the risks of sending data to public AI models.
Regularly monitor and audit the use of AI in the company.
Integrate secure AI solutions with existing systems, providing an alternative to unofficial tools.
Create clear and consistent policies governing both internal and external AI solutions.
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