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Apono's Cybersecurity Report on Agentic AI Adoption

Apono, a prominent cloud-native Privileged Access Management (PAM) platform focused on safeguarding both human and agent identities, has recently published "The 2026 State of Agentic AI Cyber Risk Report." This comprehensive global study examines the current landscape of agentic AI adoption amid rising security concerns. It reveals a stark reality: while there is widespread belief in the potential of AI agents, security readiness is a significant hurdle for enterprises looking to scale their implementation.

Rom Carmel, the CEO and co-founder of Apono, emphasized a critical point in the report's findings, stating, "Cybersecurity leaders are actively slowing agentic AI adoption." He highlights the disparity between prevailing industry narratives and the on-the-ground reality that Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are exercising caution. Even though there may be high expectations for AI agents to revolutionize enterprise workflows quickly, the report underscores that many organizations simply aren't ready to make that leap due to security concerns.

Ofir Stein, Apono's CTO and another co-founder, added, "Organizations are still struggling to secure human access at scale." He pointed out the unrealistic expectation of broad autonomy granted to AI agents when foundational aspects of identity and access control are still lacking. The data indicates that until these foundational elements are addressed, the deployment of agentic AI will be purposely constrained, regardless of optimistic trends in the industry.

Key Findings from the Report

The findings present some astounding statistics that portray the current state of the sector:

• - 98% of respondents say that security and data concerns have already slowed down deployments, increased review processes, or restricted the scope of agentic AI and autonomous system projects.
• - 77% of organizations report moderate slowdowns, or added scrutiny, while 21% indicate significant delays and reduced project scopes as a direct result of these concerns.
• - A complete 100% agree that attacks targeting agentic AI workflows would result in more damaging consequences than traditional cyberattacks.
• - Alarmingly, only 21% said their organizations feel equipped to manage attacks involving agentic AI or autonomous workflows.
• - A notable 98% of respondents acknowledged friction between accelerating AI adoption and fulfilling cybersecurity priorities.

These statistics starkly contrast the broader market narratives that hint at a near-term, sweeping replacement of traditional software with AI agents. Although many organizations are currently experimenting with agentic AI, the hesitance among CISOs to push forward is evident, especially as many of them urge for more robust controls regarding identity, access, and permissions before they feel secure in scaling these autonomous systems.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as the industry contemplates the potential disruptive impact of agentic AI, it becomes increasingly clear that laying a solid groundwork of security measures is critical for its successful integration into enterprise systems. Companies like Apono, which specialize in providing Zero Standing Privilege access management for cloud environments, recognize this challenge and are working to help organizations navigate the complexities of security without stifling operational efficacy. As the landscape of AI continues to evolve, the imperative to marry innovation with security remains paramount, as articulated by leaders in the cybersecurity space.

By fostering a proactive approach to security, organizations can better prepare themselves to embrace the full capabilities of AI, driving innovation while ensuring safety.