AI tools are rapidly infiltrating software development and many are being adopted without formal approval or security oversight. Developers, engineers, and data scientists are integrating various AI components such as Models, Agents, MCP servers, and more into workflows at unprecedented speed – often without informing AppSec or compliance teams.

This decentralized adoption is efficient and can drive innovation, but it opens the door to hidden risks, blind spots, and a growing security debt, creating ideal conditions for breaches, data exposure, and compliance failures that could go undetected until it’s too late.

In this session, Mend.io EVP Product Management Nir Stern examines the security implications of Shadow AI and offers practical guidance for spotting and stopping the risks introduced by unapproved tools.

From identifying visibility gaps and reducing governance friction to actionable mitigation strategies, you’ll walk away with a sharper understanding of how to protect your development lifecycle from AI-driven threats.