"Shadow AI": The Risk Your Business Didn't Approve But Is Already Using

The Problem Hiding Inside Your Company

More employees are using tools like ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and others on their own, without IT sign-off. They aren't waiting for formal approval — they’re finding what helps them get through the day faster and jumping in. This kind of tool usage, known as Shadow AI, is often invisible to leadership. It doesn't come through hardware requests or IT tickets. It’s web-based, easy to access, and often looks like part of normal work. Because of that, Shadow AI spreads fast. Unlike older examples of unauthorized software, it doesn’t sit quietly on a computer, it runs in real time, makes decisions, and interacts with data. And without clear rules in place, it creates risk that’s hard to detect.

How Shadow AI Creates Problems for Businesses

The more Shadow AI spreads, the more it can undercut the systems you’ve worked hard to protect. When employees use these tools without oversight, sensitive data may be uploaded to external platforms with no safeguards in place.

This can expose client information, financial records, or internal documents to outside parties. Some tools may not meet legal standards required by GDPR, HIPAA, or industry-specific regulations, which puts the business at risk of noncompliance.

AI applications can also create workarounds by connecting to internal systems in ways that bypass proper security reviews. These hidden pathways introduce confusion and vulnerability into workflows. Without visibility, security teams have no way to track usage or catch potential threats. According to SecurityWeek, half of employees already admit to using these tools without company approval. The trend is not slowing down.

What Companies Can Do About It

Trying to block every tool won’t work. The smarter route is to give employees the tools they need while keeping control.

Here’s what that approach looks like:

• Use approved tools under company oversight Roll out tools like Devs.ai that give teams access to AI while keeping usage inside the guardrails set by IT.

• Lower risk through visibility and control With a single system in place, businesses can monitor usage, protect data, and keep systems aligned.

• Support productivity without opening the door to risk Teams can work faster and smarter while staying within company policies.

• Keep IT management clean and clear A centralized platform is easier to manage and avoids the mess of scattered tools showing up in places they don’t belong.

The goal isn’t to slow your teams down — it’s to give them support that doesn’t create risk.

Don’t Wait to Take Control

Shadow AI is already inside many businesses. It’s not a distant concern — it’s active now.

Companies that ignore it will feel the effects when something breaks: lost data, compliance issues, or internal confusion. The better path is to face it head-on and take action.

StrategiCom helps teams replace shadow usage with structured systems that work for everyone — from compliance to IT to the employee trying to get through a busy day.

Reach out to start building a secure and supported way to use AI inside your company.