Zluri, a Next-Gen Identity Governance and Administration platform, has released The State of AI in the Workplace 2025 Report, the first comprehensive study analyzing enterprise AI adoption and its security risks. Unlike survey-based studies, the research draws on real workplace data from 160+ organizations and over 400,000 users worldwide, powered by Zluri’s patented discovery engine.

Key Findings

The study reveals that AI has rapidly evolved from scattered pilots into core business infrastructure, with some enterprises using more than 100 AI apps. However, IT and security teams only have oversight of fewer than 20% of them—leaving organizations exposed to breaches, compliance failures, and uncontrolled data flows.

“AI adoption in enterprises is accelerating at a breakneck pace—several companies now use hundreds of AI tools, and many operate entirely outside IT’s awareness, creating what I call ‘AI sprawl.’ This sprawl introduces new risks—from data leakage via unmanaged AI agents to uncontrolled access paths—necessitating real-time visibility and unified governance across both human and non-human identities,” said Ritish Reddy, CEO and Co-founder of Zluri.

The report introduces the Enterprise AI Leaderboard, spotlighting the top 20 workplace AI applications—led by ChatGPT—and the Rising Stars, showcasing 10 emerging apps gaining traction. Organizations are prioritizing AI categories that drive immediate value, including chatbots, writing assistants, and voice recognition software. Interestingly, code generation tools are being adopted beyond engineering, while AI agents remain in the early adoption stage.

Department-level insights reveal distinct adoption patterns across Product & Engineering, Sales & Marketing, and Customer Support, highlighting how AI tools are shaping workflows across business functions.

Download the full report to explore the complete AI Leaderboard and department-specific trends.

Securing AI Adoption with Zluri

While AI accelerates productivity, it also introduces risks from unauthorized tools, access sprawl, and potential data leaks. Zluri closes these gaps by offering:

  • Complete AI visibility: Automatically discovers and monitors all AI applications across the enterprise.
  • Intelligent risk scoring: Flags high-risk AI usage and sends instant alerts for restricted tool access.
  • Policy enforcement: Enables administrators to de-provision access to unauthorized AI apps automatically.

“With a structured approach—Visibility, Intelligence, Action (VIA)—organizations can reclaim control, detect Shadow AI, enforce access policies, and automate remediation, turning AI from a security threat into a strategic asset,” added Ritish. “The data is clear—AI is already inside your organization. The real question is: will you govern it now or let it govern you later?”

Upcoming enhancements will introduce browser-level blocking of unauthorized AI tools and automatic data masking to protect sensitive information, ensuring enterprises can harness AI’s potential without compromising security or compliance.

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