Armor, a cloud-native managed detection and response (MDR) services provider, warns organisations deploying artificial intelligence tools without formal governance policies. In guidance issued to enterprises, the company says organisations without AI security policies are exposed to data loss, compliance violations, and emerging AI-specific threats.
"If your organisation is not actively developing and enforcing policies around AI usage, you are already behind," said Chris Stouff, chief security officer at Armor. "You need clear rules for data, tools, and accountability before AI becomes a compliance and security liability."
The AI governance gap
Armor's security experts listed the most pressing concerns arising from the lack of governance frameworks with balanced innovation and risk management frameworks:
- Data Loss Prevention Gaps
- Shadow AI Proliferation
- GRC Integration Failures
- Regulatory Pressure
Stouf added: "Healthcare organisations are under enormous pressure to adopt AI for everything from administrative efficiency to clinical decision support. But the regulatory environment has not caught up, and the security implications are significant."
Five Pillars for Enterprise Security
Armour's five foundational pillars provide a practical approach to bridging the AI governance gap and strengthening organisational security.
- AI Tool Inventory and Classification: Identifying all AI tools in use across the organisation and classifying them by risk level
- Data Handling Policies: Establish clear guidelines defining what data categories can be used with which AI tools
- GRC Integration: Embed AI governance into existing compliance frameworks
- Monitoring and Detection: Implement technical controls to detect unauthorised AI tool usage and potential data exfiltration to AI services
- Employee Training and Accountability: Develop role-specific training for employees
