AI agents are driving growth – 
but who’s in control? 

The rise of AI-driven intelligence and autonomy is unlocking new efficiencies, yet ungoverned AI agents are exposing organizations to security and compliance risks.

Defining AI agents

What are AI agents?

AI agents are autonomous systems that perform tasks, make decisions, and interact with users or other systems without direct human intervention. They leverage a vast number of datasets, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and automation to enhance efficiency and productivity.

Key report findings

Most AI agents access sensitive information daily

AI agents are growing fast across enterprises, yet most act without oversight—exposing sensitive data. Research shows, only 44% have governance in place. With autonomous access and actions, AI agents now pose greater risk than human or machine identities—demanding urgent control.

80 %

of organizations revealed that AI agents have performed unintended actions of accessing and sharing inappropriate data

66 %

of surveyed companies state that AI agents are a growing security risk

64 %

of surveyed companies confirm that AI agents require multiple identities to access necessary data, applications, and systems

56 %

of surveyed companies do not have any governance policies in place for AI agents

See the findings in full

Explore global survey findings on AI agent adoption, risk, and governance—contrasting them with machine and human identities, revealing unintended actions and root causes, underscoring the urgent need for control within identity security strategies.

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Report cover - AI agents: The new attack surface

How SailPoint can help

Next-gen risks.
Next-level security.

As identities continue to evolve, securing each type has become essential. Through AI-driven identity security, SailPoint helps you govern and secure today’s complex ecosystem—from employees to machines—with scale and precision. We’re paving the way for tomorrow, so you’re ready when the next generation of identities arrive.

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Network of humans, machines, and code

AI agents are revealing sensitive data

19.4 %

of responders say their AI agents revealed access credentials

26.7 %

of responders say AI agents shared inappropriate data

27.8 %

of responders say that AI agents allowed inappropriate data to be downloaded