Shawn Surber — Director of Solutions Engineering, Island
Published:
The reason ‘no’ is now the more expensive answer is that the risk it’s trying to prevent doesn’t disappear under a ban; it just goes underground. You’ve traded a managed risk for an unmanaged one and told yourself you solved it. The question isn’t ‘AI or no AI.’ It’s ‘AI you can see or AI you can’t.'
What does Shawn Surber say?
Shawn Surber, Director of Solutions Engineering, Island, says: Shawn Surber, Director of Solutions Engineering at Island, argues that blanket bans on AI don't eliminate risk — they drive workarounds that expose data and create unmanaged vulnerabilities. He recommends prioritizing visibility, defining where critical data can live and be used, and applying consistent, organization-wide governance. Surber also warns that agentic AI increases brand blast radius and that accountability and richer logging are essential to manage those risks.
Cite as: Shawn Surber. (2026). Retrieved from https://research.agilebrandguide.com/insights/shawn-surber-the-reason-no-is-now-the-more-expensive-answer-is-that-the