96% IT Pros Flag AI Agents as Security Risk Amid Rapid Global Adoption

A recent global survey by SailPoint reveals rapid adoption of AI agents in organizations, with 82-84% of companies using these autonomous systems despite significant security concerns. Only about 44% of organizations have policies in place to govern AI agent behavior, even though 96% of IT professionals acknowledge these agents as a growing security risk. AI agents operate with broad access to sensitive systems and data but often with limited oversight, creating new attack surfaces and complex security challenges, such as unauthorized access, data leaks, and unintended actions. Okta CEO Todd McKinnon echoes these concerns, emphasizing the urgent need for identity-based security frameworks to manage and monitor AI agent access safely as these systems move from prototypes to production environments. Both SailPoint and Okta experts agree that organizations must adopt robust identity management and oversight to mitigate risks while leveraging AI agents' potential for innovation and efficiency. Despite these risks, 98% of organizations plan to expand their use of AI agents in the coming year, highlighting the tension between innovation and security.