The rise of AI-powered tools has led to a significant increase in employees outside traditional engineering roles building and shipping their own tools. This trend, known as the “builder culture,” has created a security gap that is not being addressed. According to a recent analysis by Vanta, a trust management platform, the number of “builder-type” roles has grown by 311% year over year across its customer base.

Security Risks

The use of AI-powered tools has also led to an increase in security risks. Vanta’s data shows that organizations with builder roles use 42% more software vendors than organizations without them, and that these vendors often pose a high or critical risk. Additionally, the use of “shadow AI” tools, which are used by employees without formal approval, has become a significant concern. A separate Vanta analysis found that 70% of organizations have shadow AI tools, which are not subject to security reviews.

The security gap created by the builder culture is a significant concern, as it can lead to data breaches and other security incidents. To address this gap, organizations need to implement tools and policies that can keep pace with the rapid adoption of AI-powered tools. This includes continuously scanning for new vendors and scoring their risk, as well as implementing policies that treat AI agents wired into company systems with the same scrutiny as software bought through a normal purchase order.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.