Northbeams: The AI System of Record for Shadow AI Governance

Overview

Northbeams is a security platform designed to help companies manage the artificial intelligence tools their employees actually use. Many organizations struggle with "Shadow AI," which refers to AI tools used by staff without official approval or security oversight. Northbeams acts as a central system of record to provide real-time visibility and control over these tools. Unlike older security methods that only watch network traffic, Northbeams works directly on the user's device, such as their browser or desktop computer. This allows it to catch every AI tool, coding agent, and data call before any sensitive information leaves the user's environment.

The platform offers two main services. The first, called Sentinel, gives security teams a live view of what is happening and the power to enforce rules. The second, called Evidence, creates official, signed PDF reports that are ready for auditors and compliance teams to review.

Benefits

Northbeams offers several key advantages for organizations trying to balance security with productivity.

First, it provides complete discovery of AI usage. The system maps out how AI is being used across four main areas: web browsers, desktop applications, command-line tools, and servers that connect coding agents to company data. It can create a full inventory of all AI tools within 24 hours of them being installed. This happens without needing to change the company's network setup or wait for slow procurement processes.

Second, the platform prioritizes privacy. Its classification system runs entirely on the user's device. This means the original text of a prompt never leaves the computer. The dashboard only receives a category label, like "source code" or "personal data," along with a redacted snippet. This ensures that sensitive information stays private while still allowing the company to assess risk.

Third, Northbeams uses a "Govern, Don't Block" approach. Instead of banning all AI tools, which can hurt productivity, the system allows approved tools while sandboxing risky ones. It can automatically redact sensitive data like passwords before it is sent to an AI. Administrators can also set very specific rules, such as allowing a tool to read a file but blocking it from deleting one.

Finally, the platform is built for compliance. It helps companies meet strict regulations like the EU AI Act, SOC 2, and HIPAA. It can generate audit-ready reports in minutes, reducing the time needed to prepare for security audits from weeks to hours.

Use Cases

Northbeams is useful in many situations where an organization needs to control AI usage.

Security teams can use Northbeams to get a clear picture of which AI tools are in use and what risks they pose. They can set policies to allow safe tools, warn about risky ones, or block dangerous actions. For example, a company might allow a coding agent to read files but block it from accessing the company's financial database.

Compliance and GRC teams can use the Evidence feature to prove to auditors that they are managing AI risks properly. If an auditor asks about AI governance, the team can pull up a signed report in 30 seconds instead of spending days gathering data.

Founders and COOs can use the platform to enable safe AI adoption. By knowing exactly what tools are being used and how they are configured, leaders can encourage innovation without exposing the company to security breaches or regulatory fines.

IT and security leads can deploy the system quickly with minimal changes to existing infrastructure. It works with popular management tools like Intune and Jamf, making it easy to roll out to many employees at once.

Pricing

Northbeams offers a free trial for its Sentinel service that lasts 14 days. No credit card is required to start this trial. After the trial period, users can choose different plans. There is a basic option called Beam that provides visibility for up to 10 users. More advanced plans like Lighthouse and Sentinel offer full per-user tracking and blocking capabilities. The Evidence features are sold on an annual basis and are managed through partners.

Vibes

Northbeams is well-regarded for its ability to solve a complex problem with a simple solution. Users appreciate that it does not require major changes to their network or data flow. The ability to generate audit reports quickly is a major win for compliance teams who often face tight deadlines. Security professionals value the on-device approach because it catches threats that traditional network proxies miss, such as those coming from personal laptops or native apps. The platform is seen as a practical tool that helps companies move forward with AI safely rather than stopping progress entirely.

Additional Information

Northbeams is designed to be ready for the EU AI Act, specifically mapping to Article 4 requirements for AI literacy and governance. The company focuses on rapid deployment, with most companies generating their first discovery report within an afternoon of installation. The platform supports a one-click rollback feature, allowing administrators to undo policy changes instantly if a team reacts negatively to a new restriction. This flexibility helps organizations adapt their security rules as they learn more about their specific AI usage patterns.