Shadow AI spend usually appears first in card and expense data, long before it appears in an IT inventory.
Start with merchant names
Look for model providers, meeting assistants, writing tools, image tools, developer assistants, and AI search tools. The vendor name is often the first evidence that a department has adopted a tool.
Map spend to people and departments
A vendor total is useful, but an owner is better. Group findings by department, account email, cardholder, and recurring pattern so finance and security can decide what needs review.
Do not over-classify unknown vendors
Unrecognized vendors should stay unclassified until reviewed. Forcing every merchant into a known category creates false certainty and weakens trust in the review.
Key takeaways
- 01Scan merchant names for AI vendors and assistants.
- 02Group findings by department and account email.
- 03Mark unrecognized vendors as unclassified.
- 04Review recurring subscriptions first.