Sunlight on Shadow AI: When Security Learns to Tinker - Rob T. Lee from the SANS Institute on AI Risk - Agents of Scale

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Episode notes

Most security playbooks weren’t built for an era where AI moves faster than policy. Rob T. Lee says the default answer of “no” is creating a far bigger problem: shadow AI - widespread, unsanctioned usage that quietly exposes organizations to risk. Rob T. Lee - Chief of Research & Chief AI Officer at the SANS Institute - joins Wade to unpack pragmatic ways leaders can move forward without breaking things. From the “tinker/hacker” mindset that helps teams learn, to treating security like a lifeguard (not a chokehold), Rob lays out the short, repeatable moves that actually get enterprises experimenting safely: enable small experiments, create accountability partners (not mythical “AI champions”), red-team your integrations, and make governance part of the daily routine. In this episode you’ll hear: Why a blanket “no” to AI creates shadow AI and greater risk. How to flip policy toward a cautious “yes” and act like a lifeguard, not a jailer. Practical training tactics: 30 minutes a day, micro-projects, and hackathons. What good AI governance looks like - rules of acceptable use, vendor checks, red teams, and regulatory thinking.