How to Build an AI Governance Framework for Manufacturing
Zscaler, Friday, November 6th, 2026
Zscaler lays out an AI governance framework and 60-day roadmap for manufacturers to control shadow AI and protect intellectual property.
Shadow AI, employees' use of unsanctioned AI tools, can expose manufacturers' intellectual property, and Zscaler's ThreatLabz 2026 AI Security Report says manufacturing accounts for 19.5% of enterprise AI and ML activity as AI apps in use quadrupled to over 3,400.
Its Frontier AI Readiness Report scored the AI governance pillar at just 10.5%, the weakest category.
Zscaler argues the answer is not blocking AI but a governance framework that provides visibility, guardrails and sanctioned alternatives.
It proposes a 60-day roadmap: discovery in days 1-15, risk assessment in days 16-30 and policy enforcement with ownership in days 31-60.