Glossary
Updated
AI sprawl is the cumulative result of departments and individuals adopting AI tools faster than the organization can govern them. Unlike shadow AI, which describes specifically unsanctioned tools, sprawl can include sanctioned tools that have proliferated without consolidation. The result is duplicated capabilities, fragmented vendor relationships, inconsistent data handling, and a governance surface area that grows faster than the team can monitor.
Example
A global retailer discovers it has paid for 14 different AI summarization tools across various business units, each procured independently without checking whether an approved tool already existed.