By Mario Chao*
We are entering a new phase of the technological revolution: that of artificial intelligence agents, also known as Agentic AI. Unlike the first wave of generative AI, focused on producing text, images or code, AI agents go a step further: they are capable of making decisions, executing tasks and coordinating actions autonomously.
Consider, for example, an agent who not only writes an email, but also reviews the agenda, coordinates a meeting on the calendar of all participants and automatically generates the documents necessary for the session. This is an evolution that promises to transform entire industries, but at the same time poses an unavoidable challenge: cybersecurity.
The history of technological innovation has taught us that each advance comes with risks and responsibilities. AI agents are no exception. Their ability to act independently makes them powerful allies for sectors such as finance, health, energy or manufacturing, but also opens the door to complex scenarios if they are not designed with an adequate security architecture. The question is no longer whether these tools will be adopted, but how to ensure that they do so under trusted environments.
According to the report “Agentic AI: Finding the perfect balance” by NTT DATA, most business leaders recognize that this trend will mark a structural change in their operations, and consider that security will be one of the main axes in their roadmap. This is easily explained: an agent managing financial transactions could be manipulated to execute fraudulent operations; In health, misuse of these systems would put sensitive clinical information at risk; and in critical sectors such as energy, a breach could affect operational continuity. Cybercrimes will not only grow in number, but in sophistication, by taking advantage of the autonomy of agents.
For this reason, cybersecurity can no longer be understood as a complement added to the end of a technological project. In the era of AI agents, security must be part of the design itself, with governance mechanisms, traceability and controls that ensure reliable and auditable decisions. Only in this way can we take advantage of the true potential of Agentic AI without putting the digital trust of users and organizations at risk.
In my experience, this moment requires a change of mindset at all levels. For CIOs, it is essential to place cybersecurity as a strategic priority and not as an isolated operational area. For technology companies, the challenge is to design tools that not only respond to efficiency challenges, but also reduce risk exposure gaps. And for regulators, there is a need to move towards more agile regulatory frameworks, capable of keeping up with the speed of this innovation.
At NTT DATA we firmly believe that AI agents will be engines of transformation, as long as they are built on secure foundations. Our role, as a technology sector, is twofold: on the one hand, to accelerate the adoption of these solutions so that more industries can benefit from their automation, prediction and coordination capacity; and on the other, guarantee that its use strengthens digital trust and does not erode it.
In the end, cybersecurity in the age of AI agents is not an obstacle, but the enabler of a stronger future. In my opinion, innovation without trust lacks a foundation, while innovation with security becomes a true catalyst for progress. The challenge before us is to design artificial intelligence that not only acts, but does so responsibly, protecting data, privacy and, above all, the trust of society.
About the author:
*Mario Chao, CEO of NTT Data Mexico
The opinions expressed are solely the responsibility of their authors and are completely independent of the position and editorial line of Forbes Mexico.
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