As AI tools become more accessible, employees are adopting them without formal approval from IT and security teams. While these tools may boost productivity, automate tasks, or fill gaps in existing workflows, they also operate outside the visibility of security teams, bypassing controls and creating new blind spots in what is known as shadow AI. While similar to the phenomenon of shadow IT, shadow AI goes beyond unapproved software by involving systems that process, generate, and potentially retain sensitive data. The result is a category of risk that most organizations are not yet equipped to govern: uncontrolled data exposure, expanded attack surfaces, and weakened identity security.

Why shadow AI is spreading so quickly

Shadow AI is expanding rapidly across organizations because it is easy to adopt and instantly useful, yet largely unregulated. Unlike traditional enterprise software, most AI tools require little to no setup, allowing employees to start using them immediately. According to a 2024 Salesforce survey, 55% of employees reported using AI tools that had not been approved by their organization. Since many organizations lack clear AI usage policies, employees must decide which tools to use and how to use them on their own, often without understanding the security implications.

Employees may use generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude in everyday workflows, and while this can improve productivity, it can result in sensitive data being shared externally without oversight. Whether or not the AI vendor uses that data for model training depends on the platform and account type, but in either case, the data has left the organization's security boundary.

At the department level, shadow AI may appear when teams integrate AI APIs or third-party models into applications without a formal security review. These integrations can expose internal data and introduce new attack vectors that security teams cannot see or control. Rather than trying to eliminate shadow AI entirely, organizations must actively manage the risks it creates.

How shadow AI is a security problem

Shadow AI is often framed as a governance issue, but it is a security problem at its core. Unlike traditional shadow IT, where employees adopt unapproved software, shadow AI involves systems that actively process and store data beyond the scope of security teams, turning unsanctioned AI usage into a broader risk of data exposure and access misuse.

Shadow AI can lead to untraceable data leaks

Employees may share customer data, financial information, or internal business documents with AI tools to complete tasks more efficiently. Developers who troubleshoot code may inadvertently paste scripts containing hardcoded API keys, database credentials, or access tokens, exposing sensitive credentials without realizing it. Once the data reaches a third-party AI platform, organizations lose visibility into how it is stored or used. As a result, data can leave an organization without an audit trail, making it difficult, if not impossible, to trace or contain a breach. Under GDPR and HIPAA, this type of uncontrolled data transfer can constitute a reportable violation.

Shadow AI rapidly expands the attack surface

Every AI tool creates a new potential attack vector for cybercriminals. When unapproved tools are adopted without oversight, they may include unvetted APIs or plugins that are insecure or malicious. Employees accessing AI platforms through personal accounts or devices place that activity entirely outside the organization's security controls, and traditional network monitoring cannot see it. As organizations begin deploying AI agents that operate autonomously within workflows, the risk grows even more severe. These systems interact with multiple applications and platforms, creating complex and largely hidden pathways that cybercriminals can exploit.

Shadow AI bypasses traditional security controls

Traditional security controls were not built to handle today’s AI usage. Most AI platforms operate over HTTPS, meaning standard firewall rules and network monitoring cannot inspect the content of those interactions without SSL inspection in place — a control many organizations have not deployed. Conversational AI interfaces also don’t behave like traditional applications, making it harder for security tools to monitor or log activity. Because of this, data can be shared with external AI systems without triggering any alerts.

Shadow AI impacts identity security

Shadow AI introduces serious Identity and Access Management (IAM) challenges. For example, employees might create several accounts across AI platforms, leading to fragmented and unmanaged identities. Developers may even connect AI tools to systems using service accounts, creating Non-Human Identities (NHIs) without proper oversight. If organizations lack centralized governance, these identities can become poorly monitored and difficult to manage throughout their lifecycle, increasing the risk of unauthorized access and long-term exposure.

How organizations can reduce shadow AI risk

As AI becomes more integrated into daily workflows, organizations must aim to reduce risk while enabling safe, productive usage. This requires security teams to shift from blocking AI tools altogether to managing how they are used in the workplace, emphasizing visibility and user behavior. Organizations can reduce shadow AI risk by following these steps:

• Establish clear AI usage policies: Define which AI tools are allowed and what data can be shared. Security policies should be easy to follow and intuitive, since overly restrictive rules will only push employees toward using unsanctioned tools.
• Provide approved AI alternatives: When employees don’t have access to useful tools, they are more likely to find their own. Offering approved, secure AI solutions that meet organizational standards reduces the need for shadow AI.
• Improve visibility into AI usage patterns: While full visibility may not always be possible, organizations should monitor network traffic, privileged access and API activity to better understand how employees are using AI.
• Educate employees on AI security risks: Many employees focus only on the productivity advantages of AI tools rather than the security risks. Providing training on safe AI usage and data handling can dramatically reduce unintentional exposure.

Benefits of effectively managing shadow AI

Organizations that proactively manage shadow AI will gain greater control over how AI is used across their environments. Effectively managing shadow AI provides several benefits, including:

• Full visibility into which AI tools are in use and what data they are accessing
• Reduced regulatory exposure under frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, and the EU AI Act
• Faster and safer AI adoption with vetted tools and thorough guidelines
• Higher adoption of approved AI tools, reducing reliance on insecure alternatives

Security must account for shadow AI

AI adoption is becoming normalized in the workplace, and employees will continue seeking tools that help them work faster. Given how easy AI tools are to access and how rarely usage policies keep pace with adoption, some degree of shadow AI in any large organization is inevitable. Instead of trying to block AI tools entirely, organizations should focus on enabling their safe use by enhancing visibility into AI activity and ensuring that both human and machine identities are properly governed.

Keeper® supports this approach directly, helping organizations control privileged access to the systems AI tools interact with, enforce least-privilege access for all identities, including human users and AI agents, and maintain a full audit trail of activity across critical infrastructure. As AI agents become more prevalent in enterprise workflows, governing the identities and access paths they rely on becomes as important as governing the tools themselves.

Note: This article was thoughtfully written and contributed for our audience by Ashley D’Andrea, Content Writer at Keeper Security.

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