One in four employees buying AI tools without company approval, research finds

Almost half of UK finance leaders have admitted that their organisations fall short when it comes to AI governance, according to new research from spend management provider Soldo.

The research, conducted by Censuswide, found that 27 per cent of UK employees had purchased AI tools for work without approval in the past year, contributing to the rise of shadow AI spending. It also found that six in 10 employees frequently bend workplace rules or find loopholes to access company funds.

Only 27 per cent of UK finance leaders said AI usage and purchasing is fully governed across their organisation with clear policies and controls, while nearly a quarter said their company has minimal to no governance measures in place. 

“These findings highlight the growing reality that AI adoption is increasingly happening outside of formal business processes,” Soldo CFO Sacha Herrmann said. 

“Employees want tools that help them move quickly and work more efficiently, but many businesses are still trying to balance innovation with governance and control.”

Herrmann warned about the urgency of implementing AI governance. 

“The risk for organisations is losing visibility over how AI tools are being used and purchased across the business. Companies need governance approaches that support productivity and agility, without pushing employees towards workarounds or unauthorised spending,” he said.

“Without that balance, businesses risk creating fragmented systems, hidden costs, duplicate tools, unclear ownership, unmanaged spend and greater compliance challenges as AI adoption continues to accelerate.”

The human factor behind shadow AI

The Soldo research also suggested that employee frustration with workplace systems may be contributing to the problem. Nearly two-thirds said the AI tools permitted by their organisation are difficult to use, while 67 per cent said they are expected to use them without proper support.

“Productivity cannot be evaluated purely through AI adoption. When systems and processes create friction, employees end up carrying a ‘cognitive tax’, which is the additional mental effort created by unclear or difficult processes that make it harder to work effectively,” Henley Business School workplace productivity and AI expert Naeema Pasha said.

“When that friction builds, it’s only natural for people to look for faster routes to get work done, and as the research shows, this can lead to Shadow AI and workarounds developing outside of formal business oversight. This makes Shadow AI a human behaviour issue as much as a technology or governance one.”

Despite the governance challenges, AI remains a strategic priority for many organisations. The research found that 80 per cent of UK finance leaders believe AI investment is important to achieving their organisation’s goals, while 92 per cent of employees at businesses using AI said the technology has improved their productivity at work.