
Modern organizations face a significant challenge as the adoption of new technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence tools and Software-as-a-Service applications, outpaces traditional IT management capabilities. A widespread issue is the notable lack of oversight IT departments have over the majority of these rapidly integrated solutions.
This shift is driven by several factors. Business units increasingly bypass central IT procurement processes, easily subscribing to SaaS applications and adopting AI tools independently due to their user-friendly nature and readily available access. This decentralized purchasing and deployment lead to a fragmented technology landscape, creating significant shadow IT. IT teams often lack visibility into which tools are being used, by whom, and for what purposes.
The implications of this lack of visibility are substantial and carry significant risks. Without proper oversight, organizations are vulnerable to critical security lapses. Unmanaged applications can become entry points for cyber threats, leading to data breaches and compromising sensitive information. Furthermore, ensuring compliance with evolving data privacy regulations and industry standards becomes incredibly difficult when IT is unaware of where data resides and how it’s being processed by various unvetted applications.
Financial inefficiencies are another concern. Redundant application subscriptions across different departments can lead to unnecessary spending. Integration challenges also arise, hindering productivity and data flow across the organization. Without a cohesive strategy, the proliferation of unmanaged tools can create operational silos and technical debt.
Addressing this requires a proactive approach. Organizations must enhance their discovery capabilities to gain insight into the applications being used. Developing clearer policies for application acquisition and deployment is crucial. More importantly, fostering collaboration between IT and business units is essential to balance agility with necessary governance and control. Implementing centralized platforms or management frameworks can help regain control and ensure that future technology adoption aligns with security protocols, compliance requirements, and overall business objectives. Effective management of these technologies is paramount to harnessing their benefits while mitigating the inherent risks.
Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/06/26/ai-identity-governance/