Bring your own AI (BYOAI): 78 % of employees use their own AI tools at work
Introduction: the AI era, between enthusiasm and secrecy
We are living in a pivotal era: that of theAI era.
In just a few monthsGenerative AI has entered our lives, with tools such as ChatGPTCopilot or Gemini. They write emails, summarize meetings, create visuals and translate code. In short: they save precious time.
But this revolution is accompanied by a new phenomenon: the BYOAI (Bring Your Own AI), i.e. thebring your own AI in the office. According to Microsoft, 78 % of employees who use AI at work do so with their own toolswithout using the solutions provided by their companies.
And that's not all: Ipsos and Republik RH reveal that nearly 60 % of employees use ChatGPT on the slywithout telling their superiors. This dual movement - mass adoption and clandestine use - reveals a paradox: everyone wants to use AIbut few organizations have a framework for its use.
Understanding BYOAI: a generative revolution in the office
Visit BYOAI is not just a buzzword. It's a daily reality. This movement called Bring Your Own AI means that employees use AI tools like ChatGPT to solve their work problems, even when their company doesn't provide them with one.
Why? Because the generative AI tools offer productivity gains immediate :
- write a report in just a few minutes,
- automate repetitive, mundane tasks,
- generate presentations,
- answer e-mails or analyze a complex table.
Employees no longer want to wait for their IT department to roll out an official solution. They are moving forward, and often staff will take matters into their own hands.
Why has it come to this?
1. The explosion of generative AI
In less than two yearsusing AI exploded:
- Microsoft believes that 75 % knowledge workers are already using generative AI.
- Ipsos points out that 56 % of French employees say they have tested a tool like ChatGPT at work.
This dazzling adoption is due to the power of the generative AI doesn't just analyze, it actually creates text, images or codes.
2. The slowness of organizations
Whereas 79 % executives recognize that their company must adopt AI to stay competitive, 60 % admit they lack a clear vision. In other words: employees move faster than managers.
3. The quest for productivity
The figures speak for themselves:
- 90 % of users say it saves them time.
- 84 % believe it makes them more creative.
- 83 % say it improves their job satisfaction.
In a context of email overload, meetings and increasing pressure, AI appears to be the only breath of fresh air.
4. Culture for the next generation
Visit students want to use AI in their academic careers. In an Ipsos study, 70 % of 18-24 year olds believe that AI will be an integral part of their future job. So it's only logical that, when they join the company, they should continue to use AI.use AI.
Use case: clandestine use of ChatGPT
Phantom uses
An Ipsos survey speaks of real "phantom uses AI: nearly 6 out of 10 employees use them on the sly. Republik RH confirms: one-third of employees has already used ChatGPT to carry out a professional assignment without reporting it.
Why on the sly?
- Fear of being judged 53 % fear that their manager thinks they are becoming "replaceable".
- Lack of framework Without clear rules, it's better not to say anything.
- The pressing need when the task is urgent, employees use ChatGPT as a shortcut, without referring to their hierarchy.
A concrete example
An SME marketing executive tells Ipsos :
"I use ChatGPT to write my creative briefs. I don't tell my manager because I don't know if it's allowed. But without it, I'd lose two hours a day."
This clandestine use reveals a reality: if your company starts using AI without a clear frameworkthen things in hand directly to employees.
The risks of BYOAI
Enthusiasm for AI must not obscure the fact that big problems.
Data confidentiality and security
When an employee inserts a contract or a customer file in ChatGPT, there is no guarantee that it will be read. data protection. The information provided can be stored or reused.
Shadow IT and hidden costs
This practice circumvents the rules. Visit unknowing organizations of their IT departments see sensitive data circulating. What's more, if everyone uses their AI tools of their choicethe costs can escalate (multiple licenses, dispersed training, lack of standardization).
Reliability and reputation
Any experienced ChatGPT user knows that The answers generated may be inaccurate. Undetected errors can damage the credibility of a report or strategic document.
Governance and bias
Visit women or prejudice can be reinforced by poorly trained models. Without policies and processes AI can amplify biases rather than correct them.
How can we mitigate the risks and provide a framework for BYOAI?
Training and informing employees
A training plan is essential. Train and inform teams to understand where AI can bring value and as well as risks. Each trained employee becomes a IA ambassador.
Setting clear rules
Visit processes are essential. A policy ofEthical AI must specify what is acceptable: for example, never enter sensitive data in an external tool.
Providing official tools
Although generative AI tools offer significant gainscompanies need to offer validated, secure and supervised solutions, rather than leaving it up to the customer. users bring their own tools.
Channelling employee energy
A approach would be for managers to not to prohibit, but to support. Managers to be banned would create frustration. On the contrary, providing official tools, adapted to the most urgent needsThe "I'm an enthusiast" approach helps to keep enthusiasm in check.
Where can generative AI bring the most value?
Visit AI mean that emerging technologies are not a gadget. They mean that emerging technologies can profoundly transform work.
For example:
- In customer service, for solve problems or optimize response quality.
- In finance, to automate controls.
- In marketing, to speed up content creation.
- In education, because students and researchers see AI as a key learning tool.
Clearly: we need to target most urgent needshere where AI can concretely transform the productivity.
Bring your own AI: what if your organization harnessed this energy?
BYOAI is not a threat to be banished, but an energy to be channeled. As Zdnet writes, "how people communicate and the data sources they use". is crucial. Business leaders should remain openwhile maintaining a strict framework.
MIT suggests that business leaders must offer a clear vision: provide internal tools, define a clear AI designto establish a social dialogue. Because as AIs communicate, risks related to grow.
Conclusion: from BYOAI to responsible adoption of generative AI
The phenomenon BYOAI illustrates a powerful paradox: never has theartificial intelligence has never been so desired by employees, and never have companies seemed so late to regulate its use. Visit employees are already using AIsometimes on the sly, sometimes with enthusiasm, but always with conviction: this generative technology changes the way they work.
The question is no longer "should we adopt AI?" but "how to adopt it responsibly and effectively?". Car bring your own AI can generate productivity gains but also related risks to the privacyto the DATA SECURITY and quality of deliverables.
The right response is not to prohibit, but to support. Giving teams validated toolsa training plana culture ofEthical AI and clear rules. Because sooner or later, employees take matters into their own hands if management is slow to set a course.
Our conviction is simple: employees will not be replaced by AI. On the contrary, they will be strengthened and increased. Those who risk their jobs are those who will stay on the sidelines, refusing to learn how to use AI.
That's why it's essential to train, inform and coach employees today. AI is not a threat: it's an opportunity. But only a company that chooses to invest in its people, in their autonomy and their mastery of AI toolswill be able to transform this fracture into a real competitive advantage.
The future of work won't be against AI, but with it. And the sooner we learn to integrate it intelligently, the more we stand to gain.
