TrustedTech, a Microsoft Managed Partner and leading provider of Microsoft cloud solutions and IT modernization services, today released wave three of its AI workforce research, revealing where the impact of shadow AI is becoming most apparent across U.S. industries. The biggest revelation places IT and telecoms on both sides of the AI readiness equation, reporting the highest level of concern about shadow AI, the highest confidence in using AI effectively at work, and significant gaps in training and guidance.
TrustedTech’s data exposes an industry divide in how the U.S. workforce is navigating the AI race, with stark differences in readiness, confidence, and concern. IT and telecoms emerges at the forefront, followed by Education, Healthcare, Retail, Catering & Leisure, Manufacturing and Utilities, and Finance. Together, these findings put some of the most prominent industries on the front line of the shadow AI dilemma.
According to the report:
- IT and telecoms presents the clearest AI contradiction: 87% of workers feel confident using AI effectively, the highest of any industry surveyed, yet 68% are concerned about shadow AI.
- Retail, catering, and leisure faces a governance gap: 36.36% of workers are concerned about employees using unapproved AI, while 28.10% say their organization lacks clear guidance on AI use that impacts uptake.
- Finance faces heightened data exposure risk: Nearly half (48%) of workers say their organization lacks adequate training on using AI safely and securely, raising concerns for an industry entrusted with highly sensitive financial and customer data.
- Healthcare workers face added pressure when technology support falls short: 29 respondents reported delays or issues when seeking assistance with Microsoft tools, leaving workers in a data-sensitive industry without immediate support when navigating the technology.
- Concern about shadow AI extends well beyond technology: Manufacturing and Utilities (53%) and Finance (52%) follow IT and Telecoms (68%), highlighting that unapproved AI has become a cross-industry issue rather than a technology sector problem alone.
The industry divide shows that AI readiness cannot be measured solely by user confidence. While IT and telecoms may have the most confident users, it also has the strongest concern about shadow AI, exposing a gap between how quickly the technology is being embraced and how prepared their employers are to manage its use. Across industries, gaps in training and guidance point to a different problem: employees are being expected to navigate AI without always being given the direction or support for safe adoption.
“IT and telecoms should theoretically be the industry best prepared for AI, but our data shows that confidence and readiness are two different things,” said Julian Hamood, Founder of TrustedTech. “You can have a workforce that knows how to use AI and still lack the guardrails for safe adoption. That gap is exactly where shadow AI lives in every industry.”
The findings show that the impact of shadow AI is playing out differently from one industry to the next. Across the five sectors reporting the greatest concern about shadow AI, the reasons behind that concern are far from uniform. The data reinforces that shadow AI is not a technology sector problem, but a growing challenge spanning various industries as employees embrace AI faster than many workplaces are prepared for.
TrustedTech works with organizations to help them navigate this evolving landscape by providing the strategic guidance, governance frameworks, and technical expertise needed to adopt AI responsibly, ensuring that innovation does not come at the expense of security or compliance. Through its Copilot Readiness Assessment, TrustedTech provides organizations with a structured roadmap for moving ad hoc to safe, scalable implementation, helping organizations close the AI readiness gap. For more information about TrustedTech and its Microsoft cloud licensing solutions and support, visit trustedtechteam.com.
For the full whitepaper report, “Shadow AI in the workplace,” please visit:
https://www.trustedtechteam.com/pages/shadow-ai-whitepaper-download
ABOUT TRUSTEDTECH
TrustedTech is a leading Microsoft Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) specializing in Microsoft Cloud support services, perpetual licensing, and comprehensive professional services for medium and enterprise-sized organizations. TrustedTech is a member of the Microsoft Partner Network to ensure the delivery of industry-leading customer experiences. Known for combining competitive pricing with licensing optimization, TrustedTech excels at helping IT teams navigate complex Microsoft 365 and Azure environments. Its teams across the U.S. and U.K are highly certified Microsoft architects and engineers are among the world’s top experts, resolving advanced technical challenges faster than typical industry SLAs. TrustedTech has achieved all available Microsoft Solutions Partner designations in the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program and continues to expand its capabilities to support customers through AI adoption, cloud modernization, and digital transformation initiatives.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260915055290/en/
Media gallery
