28 Jul 2026 09:27AM
AI agents promise greater productivity, but experts say organisations must strengthen their data, cybersecurity and governance foundations before scaling adoption.
Autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents have quickly captured attention, from tools that help people schedule their day and respond to emails to systems that let organisations automate complex workflows.But as many companies are learning, these agents need strong safeguards and solid data foundations to work well. AI systems can make serious errors. If not governed properly, an AI agent could take damaging actions, such as changing or deleting information it should not, or accessing data it is not authorised to use.As more AI agents are deployed, organisations must pay closer attention to digital resilience, experts say. Safeguards should not be treated as add-ons to a new deployment but built into the digital infrastructure that supports it. “Every AI agent is a digital worker with tools, access and authority,” said Mr Edward Chen, chief AI officer at NCS. “Its safety depends on the foundations beneath it: trusted data, strong controls and a mature operating model. When those foundations are sound, agents multiply capability. When they are weak, agents multiply risk faster than people can react.”
