Shadow IT – the unauthorized, unregulated, and untracked introduction of software and services into an environment – has long been a bane for both IT pros and leadership.
Then, when AI came along, it was almost a guarantee that it would find similar uptake. The first wave of "shadow AI", mostly featuring generative AI, was implemented almost immediately, and it still thrives.
With the increasing adoption of agentic AI, the problem of unknown, unmonitored AI threatens organizations on a much larger scale and in ways that previous versions of shadow IT could not.
For IT leadership, shadow agentic AI raises fears in the boardroom around topics such as legal and contractual liability, business disruption, and proper governance of this explosive technology.
The 8th annual provides some insight into those fears. Executives across the globe were surveyed and overwhelmingly believe that shadow AI is a problem in their environments – 87% believe it “creates business risk.”
What makes shadow agentic AI a greater threat is its ability to operate independently and problem-solve without human intervention. It can think of unusual, unique ways to find solutions and, more importantly, take steps to implement its plans.
These steps can include invoking APIs, triggering autonomous actions, querying databases, modifying production records, and much more – all without human oversight.
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This self-guiding behavior is difficult enough to manage with agentic AI that is known and closely monitored via human-in-the-loop systems.
Disastrous examples include the Replit incident in which the AI lied about its actions, and the PocketOS disaster, in which the agent deleted a large production database, including backups, in nine seconds.
If IT isn’t aware that an agent exists in their networks, the results can be catastrophic. These invisible actors aren’t subject to the normal operational and compliance safeguards an organization relies on. These agents can even cover their tracks, making it harder to spot the anomalies that can serve as red flags.
How can IT pros mitigate the dangers of shadow agentic AI?
A key role for IT leadership is ensuring proper alignment with organizational priorities around AI implementation and governance.
A great starting point is your permissioning structure. The Cyera shows the extent to which users are over-permissioned. 96% of enterprise permissions aren’t invoked – at least by humans. AI agents, which typically inherit permissions from humans, can, and do, use all of them.
According to the report, 31% of workers have the ability to delete or change data, even though most don’t do it. But, again, agents do.
This creates an urgent need for management to take a long look at who can do what; curbing that access will limit the damage Shadow Agentic AI can inflict.