New global research reveals that 96% of business leaders believe their team members are using AI tools without approval. For allied health practices in particular, this isn't just a technology problem.
Here’s an uncomfortable truth that a new global CEO study has put in writing: if you run a team, your staff are almost certainly using AI tools you didn’t approve and may not even know about.
A 2026 Harris Poll survey of 900 CEOs found that 96% believe their employees are using generative AI tools without explicit permission - and 42% estimate that more than half of their workforce is doing it regularly.
This is what’s now being called “shadow AI” - the informal, unmanaged use of AI tools across an organisation, happening quietly in the background.
For a trades business, this might mean a team member using a free AI chatbot to draft customer quotes. In an allied health practice, it could mean a receptionist using an AI tool to summarise patient notes. Neither of them mentioned it to you. Neither of them thought it was a big deal.
But depending on what they typed in - and where that data went - it may be.
Why allied health is particularly exposed
Allied health businesses operate in a regulated environment. Patient records, clinical notes, referral details - these are sensitive. Privacy obligations under Australian law are real, and they apply to your whole operation, not just the systems you officially sanction.
When a staff member pastes a patient’s name and condition into a free AI tool to help draft a letter, that data has left your practice and entered a third-party system. Many free tools have terms of service that allow them to use input data to improve their models. Your patient may not have been informed that their details could be processed this way.
This isn’t a hypothetical worst case. It’s the kind of thing that happens routinely in practices across the country, with the best of intentions and limited awareness of the implications.
The same global research found that businesses now rank governance - having control over how AI is used - as the single biggest factor in AI success, ahead of having the right people or the right technology. The message from global business leaders is clear: knowing what’s happening inside your own operation matters more than moving fast.
The problem with doing nothing
Banning AI entirely isn’t the answer. Your competitors aren’t banning it. And the staff who are using it quietly are often your most productive people - they’re finding ways to work faster, handle more, and deliver better. Suppressing that is the wrong move.
The right move is to get ahead of it. To set up a simple AI policy that your team actually understands. To choose the tools they use deliberately, rather than letting them choose for themselves. To make sure patient or client data stays inside your control.
This is something GrokoryAI builds as standard for allied health clients. Before implementing any AI system in your practice, we make sure the governance is right: who can use what, what data leaves your systems, and what your obligations are under Australian privacy law. For practices that want to get on the front foot without committing to a full build, we also offer a standalone AI policy review.
What to do now
Start by asking your team a simple question: “Are you using any AI tools in your day-to-day work?” You may be surprised by the answers.
Then get a framework in place. Not a 40-page policy document - a clear, practical set of rules about approved tools, data handling, and what needs to go through you first.
The AI is already in your practice. The only question is whether you’re managing it or it’s managing itself.
Book a free 30-minute Bottleneck Audit →
Disclaimer: This article is general information for Australian allied health businesses and does not constitute legal, privacy, or compliance advice. Privacy obligations referenced are directional - consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your practice. Statistics cited are sourced from the Dataiku/Harris Poll Global AI Confessions Report: CEO Edition 2026 (n=900 CEOs, companies with $500M+ revenue). Information current as at June 2026.
Gregory Hardiman is the founder of GrokoryAI. Based in Australia. Focused on practical AI systems for trades and allied health businesses.
