Shadow IT has long been an issue relating to software licences and personal USB sticks. Since 2023, it has taken on a new dimension: employees are using personal AI accounts for work tasks. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot via personal Microsoft accounts. Draft contracts, patient data, design documents and personnel files end up in services over which the company has no control.
According to the Bitkom AI Study 2025, 25% of German companies with 20 or more employees report active use of personal AI tools in day-to-day work. The actual figure is likely higher; nobody voluntarily reports what they use in secret.
Reading time: approx. 9 minutes | Last updated: May 2026