Security leaders lose visibility as consultants deploy shadow AI copilots to stay employed
1 min read
Summary
Consulting firms are laying off staff as they adopt generative AI to automate knowledge work, with PwC, Accenture and McKinsey among those making cuts.
IBM’s Arvind Krishna has also acknowledged that hundreds of routine human resources roles at the company have been replaced by AI.
Fearing they may be next for the axe, many consultants are using shadow AI apps to improve their efficiency and productivity.
These are predominantly developed using Python and accessible through APIs, which provide real-time integration of external data into their tools.
The use of these shadow apps is rapidly becoming the new consulting stack, with 12,000+ currently in use, a figure projected to double by mid-2026.
Rather than attempting to ban them, firms should instead aim to quickly deploy secure, sanctioned alternatives that enable compliant, innovative use of AI.