How governance gaps are creating a shadow AI risk for finance leaders

AI adoption is soaring whilst governance measures lag behind

by · TechRadar

Opinion By Brandon Till Published 4 August 2026

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

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The use of AI across finance functions is soaring as it quickly becomes a key tool for getting the job done.

As such, businesses are investing heavily and spending continues to rise, meaning adoption has more than doubled since 2024.

But governance isn’t keeping pace, as almost half (49%) of UK finance leaders admit their organization has gaps in its AI governance strategy.

Latest Videos FromTechRadarWatch full video here: Brandon Till

Head of Business Solutions, Soldo.

That’s a concern for two reasons. One, because governance is a compliance exercise, and two, because it underpins how confidently businesses can adopt AI at scale.

Without clear guardrails, employees will naturally start making their own decisions about which tools to use and how to use them – creating ripe conditions for Shadow AI to emerge and thrive.

The widening adoption-governance gap

I speak from experience when I say that AI is and will continue to be transformative for the finance function.

And for an industry that is largely accepting of the tried and tested status quo, it’s genuinely encouraging to see how positively leaders in the finance space view AI. Our research showed that 8 in 10 (83%) believe it will play an important role in helping them achieve their business goals.

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