Shadow AI was already a problem
Ash Srivastava - September 17, 2026
Shadow AI was already a problem !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now we're entering the era of shadow agents.
An employee creates an AI agent.....Connects it to company data.......Gives it access to an application.......Automates a workflow........And IT may not even know it exists.
That's fundamentally different from someone simply using ChatGPT to write an email.
An autonomous agent can: Access → Decide → Execute
Gartner specifically warns that restricting AI tools without providing sanctioned alternatives can push employees toward shadow AI.
The answer isn't simply blocking agents.
Organizations need:
• Approved agent registry
• Identity controls
• Permission policies
• Monitoring
• Clear employee guidelines
The future of AI governance isn't about stopping innovation.
It's about making safe innovation easier than shadow innovation.
Sameer Lal, CA, CMA, PMP, Aditya Anne, Aimal Khan, Bala Vaithyalingam, Carly Taylor, Michael Charles Borrelli, David Corrigan, Evelyne Roy, Hermann Dagys, Howard Diesel, Imad Jawadi, Inna Tokarev Sela, Jason Schenker, Jared Killoran
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First shared on LinkedIn.