Shadow AI
We've curated 39 cybersecurity statistics about Shadow AI to help you understand how unauthorized AI tools and applications are proliferating in organizations, posing unique risks and challenges in 2025.
Showing 1-20 of 39 results
54% of CIOs say they have discovered unsanctioned 'shadow AI' in use inside their organizations.
61% of organizations report the use of unsanctioned AI tools, creating significant visibility and governance gaps.
56% of employees are unhappy with their company's approach to AI tools, which can drive them toward unsanctioned platforms and creating 'shadow AI' risks.
69% of IT leaders globally reported lacking a formal tracking system to monitor AI adoption.
49% of IT leaders globally either don't track AI usage at all or address AI on a reactive basis.
61% of IT leaders globally found unauthorized AI tools in their environments.
9% of IT leaders globally believe their organization has a 'highly effective' defense against AI-generated cyber threats.
53% of IT leaders globally are highly or extremely concerned about AI security risks.
71% of IT leaders globally identified increasing productivity and efficiency as the primary use case for AI adoption.
13% of IT leaders globally consider their organization's management of shadow AI risks as 'highly effective'.
26% of IT leaders globally have solutions in place to monitor AI usage.
By 2030, 50% of enterprises are predicted to face delayed AI upgrades and/or rising maintenance costs due to unmanaged generative AI technical debt.
69% of organizations suspect or have evidence that employees are using prohibited public generative AI.
By 2030, more than 40% of enterprises are predicted to experience security or compliance incidents linked to unauthorized shadow AI.
75% of security practitioners believe that shadow AI will surpass the risks previously posed by shadow IT in 2025.
16% of employees reported analyzing company data with the help of AI when using AI at work.
43% of US employees reported that they have worked on AI-based applications that their employers did not approve
36% of German employees reported that they have worked on AI-based applications that their employers did not approve
27% of employees have used AI-based applications that were not purchased or approved by their company.
16% of employees reported working on performance reviews or hiring using employee data when using AI at work.