More than half of employees are using unapproved AI tools at work

KnowBe4 finds 55% of UK workers admit to using unapproved AI tools

Only 16% believe they're effectively managing safe AI

27% supplement corporate AI with more suitable tools

More than half (55%) of UK employees 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 of defining shadow AI as unapproved AI, not AI use that goes under the radar, because the number of UK cybersecurity decision-makers identifying shadow AI as the biggest risk is nearly matched (58%), implying they're well aware of the challenges.

However, little seems to be being done, because only 16% believe their organization is effective at managing AI's safe use at the moment.

Shadow AI is an ongoing challenge

Nearly half (46%) have implemented targets to improve AI agent safety over the next 12 months, but with one in five (19%) already reporting that AI agents take autonomous action across multiple workflows with limited human oversight, the risks remain clear.

"UK businesses are embracing AI to drive productivity [but] many employees are still under pressure, using unapproved tools and regularly facing (and fearing) sophisticated threats such as deepfakes and phishing," Lead CISO Javvad Malik wrote.

Shadow AI doesn't necessarily mean that employees are turning their backs on enterprise-grade tools, with 27% admitting to occasionally sourcing their own tools on top of the tools they're given, indicating that companies are failing to provide the right tools that workers need.

So while governing AI's use with clearly defined policies is one area for improvement, simply providing workers with the tools they're demanding could go a long way to reducing shadow AI's impact on any organization.

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