69% Of Leaders Put AI Speed Over Security—Here’s What It’s Costing You

LeadershipCareers69% Of Leaders Put AI Speed Over Security—Here’s What It’s Costing YouByRachel Wells,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Rachel Wells is a writer who covers leadership, AI, and upskilling.Follow AuthorMay 15, 2026, 09:49am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Shadow AI infiltrates at least half of organizations, making this a major threatgettyAI adoption is moving at breakneck speed, but in the rush to innovate and stay ahead of the game, leaders and professionals are overlooking one major problem:Shadow AI.Shadow AI refers to the use of AI tools without prior approval or visibility at the enterprise IT level, creating heightened workplace risks.A recent BlackFog report highlighted that productivity pressure is pushing senior leaders to bypass AI safeguards, increasing exposure to data leakage.Their survey of 2,000 respondents found that 86% of professionals use AI tools at least weekly for work-related tasks. Of that group, more than a third admit to using free versions of company-approved AI tools, which are not subject to the same enterprise-level security and data governance. And about half admit to using AI tools not sanctioned at work.Even more striking:About 63% of respondents agreed it’s acceptable to use AI tools without IT oversight if no company-approved option is provided. Meanwhile, 60% said using unsanctioned AI tools is worth the security risk if it enables them to work faster and meet deadlines.To make matters worse, 21% said their employer would turn a blind eye to them using unapproved AI tools as long as they meet milestones.Leaders Model Poor AI UsageBut the risk becomes even more serious when leaders are leading by example--modelling the wrong behavior.One of the key findings of the study was that senior-level leaders are especially likely to prioritize speed over security. According to the re...