Abstract

Employees across your organization are already using AI. The question isn't whether ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and dozens of browser-based AI tools are in your environment; it's how much sensitive data has already walked out the door, which regulations you may now be quietly in breach of, and what you're going to do about it before an auditor or regulator asks. “Shadow AI", the unsanctioned use of generative AI tools by employees, has become the fastest-growing insider risk category of the decade. Unlike the shadow IT of the past, shadow AI moves at the speed of a browser tab, bypasses traditional DLP controls, and creates compliance exposure that spans data privacy, intellectual property, and regulatory obligations simultaneously. This session moves beyond fear and uncertainty to give GRC, security, and privacy professionals a practical playbook. Drawing on implementation experience across the UAE, GCC, and North American markets, the session unpacks how shadow AI enters the enterprise, where traditional controls break down, and what a defensible governance framework actually looks like when mapped against ISO 42001, the EU AI Act, GDPR, and emerging regional regulations. Attendees will leave with a 30/60/90-day action plan to discover, govern, and safely enable AI use, without resorting to blanket bans that drive usage further underground.