Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday work life faster than many of us expected.
Someone might be using AI to summarise a meeting they missed. Another colleague may be using it to help draft a report or pull together a presentation. A developer could be using an AI coding assistant to troubleshoot a problem, while a busy administrator uses an AI tool to help prioritise tasks.
For many of us, these tools are becoming just another part of the working day.
The pace of innovation is exciting, but it’s also creating a new challenge for organisations. AI tools are often adopted faster than governance processes can keep up with.
This raises an increasingly important question:
Can you see your Shadow AI?
Shadow AI refers to the use of AI tools outside an organisation’s established governance, approval or oversight processes. Whilst these tools can deliver significant benefits, a lack of visibility can create challenges around security, compliance, accountability and data protection.
AI isn’t coming – it’s already here
Much of the conversation around AI focuses on what the future might look like. The reality is that for many organisations, AI has already arrived.
Take a moment to think about your own workplace.
A teacher might be using AI to create lesson plans. A member of a finance team could be using it to analyse spreadsheets. Someone in marketing may be generating content ideas, while a project manager uses AI to summarise documents before a meeting.
Most of these use cases aren’t malicious or even particularly controversial. They’re simply examples of people looking for ways to save time and work more efficiently.
The challenge isn’t why people are using AI.
The challenge is understanding which tools are being used, what information is being shared and whether those tools align with organisational policies.
That’s where Shadow AI starts to emerge.
Why does Shadow AI matter?
Most organisations are excited about the opportunities AI presents, and rightly so. Few technologies have generated this level of interest and adoption so quickly. At the same time, many IT and security teams are finding themselves in unfamiliar territory.
AI tools can appear across an organisation almost overnight, making it difficult to answer relatively simple questions.
- Do we know which AI tools employees are using?
- Are those tools approved?
- Could sensitive information be shared unintentionally?
- Do our existing policies adequately cover AI use?
Without visibility, those answers are often unclear.
That’s why the conversation is moving away from “Should we use AI?” towards “How do we use AI responsibly?”
Why Apple environments are part of the discussion
For organisations with growing Apple estates, this challenge is particularly relevant.
Apple devices are used throughout organisations across a wide range of roles and departments. As AI becomes more embedded in everyday workflows, organisations need confidence that they can understand how AI tools are being used across their Apple estate and whether appropriate governance is in place.
That starts with some simple but important questions:
- Which AI tools are being used?
- Are they approved by the organisation?
- Is usage visible?
- What controls are in place?
- Can governance and compliance requirements be demonstrated if needed?
Without visibility, answering these questions can be difficult.
Visibility is only the beginning
You can’t manage what you can’t see. The same principle applies to AI.
Understanding where AI is being used is the first step towards responsible adoption. It enables organisations to make informed decisions, identify potential risks and create policies that support innovation without sacrificing oversight.
But visibility alone isn’t enough.
Organisations also need clear guidance, accountability and governance that can evolve alongside AI technology itself.
Senior leaders want confidence that AI is delivering value without creating unnecessary risk. Governance teams want assurance that policies are being followed. Employees want clarity on what they can and can’t use.
Everyone is looking for the same thing: confidence.
How Jamf is helping organisations bring AI under management
As organisations work through these challenges, technology providers are beginning to respond.
Within the Apple ecosystem, Jamf has introduced AI Governance capabilities as part of Jamf for Mac. These capabilities are designed to help organisations gain visibility into AI applications running across managed Macs, apply governance controls and support reporting as AI adoption continues to grow.
The challenge isn’t necessarily stopping AI from being used. In many organisations, that decision has already been made by employees who are finding genuine value in these tools.
Instead, the goal is to make AI visible, manageable and governed in the same way organisations already manage devices, applications and data.
Looking ahead
AI has the potential to transform how organisations work and many are already seeing the benefits.
The organisations that succeed won’t necessarily be the ones using the most AI. They’ll be the ones that can balance innovation with visibility, accountability and governance.
Through Academia’s partnership with Jamf, we’re seeing growing interest from organisations looking to better understand AI adoption across their Apple estates and explore how capabilities such as Jamf AI Governance can provide greater visibility into the tools employees are already using.
Because perhaps the most important question organisations should be asking today isn’t:
“Are we using AI?”
It’s:
“Can we see our Shadow AI?”
Interested in understanding how AI is being used across your Apple estate? Speak to Academia about how Jamf AI Governance can help bring greater visibility and control to AI adoption on Mac.
Source: ‘AI governance for Mac: bringing AI under management’ Read more
