- KnowBe4 finds 55% of UK workers admit to using unapproved AI tools
- Only 16% believe they are effectively managing secure AI
- 27% supplement the company’s AI with more suitable tools
More than half (55%) of UK workers admit to using unapproved AI tools at work, with as many as one in 10 knowingly sharing sensitive company information with these unauthorized tools, new research has warned.
The new report from KnowBe4 serves a purpose in defining shadow AI as unapproved AI, not AI use that goes under the radar, because the number of UK cyber security decision makers identifying shadow AI as the biggest risk is almost matched (58%), suggesting they are well aware of the challenges.
However, it appears that not much is being done, as only 16% believe their organization is effective in managing the safe use of AI at the moment.
Shadow AI is an ongoing challenge
Nearly half (46%) have implemented goals to improve security for AI agents over the next 12 months, but with one in five (19%) already reporting that AI agents are taking autonomous actions across multiple workflows with limited human oversight, the risks remain clear.
“UK businesses are embracing artificial intelligence to boost productivity [but] many employees are still under pressure, using unapproved tools and regularly encountering (and fearing) sophisticated threats such as deepfakes and phishing,” wrote Lead CISO Javvad Malik.
Shadow AI doesn’t necessarily mean employees are turning their backs on enterprise-grade tools, with 27% admitting to occasionally buying their own tools on top of the tools they’re provided, indicating that companies are failing to provide the right tools that employees need.
So while governing AI’s use with clearly defined policies is an area for improvement, simply giving employees the tools they demand can go a long way to reducing shadow AI’s impact on any organization.
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