August 13, 2025
5 min read
Salt Security
New Report Warns of Looming Security Crisis as AI Agents Proliferate
Salt Security has released a groundbreaking report titled Securing the Future of Agentic AI: Building Consumer Trust through Robust API Security, emphasizing the critical need for organizations to prioritize API security as AI agents become more widespread. Agentic AI agents rely heavily on Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to make requests, retrieve data, and interact across platforms. However, without proper API discovery, governance, and security, these technologies risk exposing organizations to cyberattacks and data leakage. The report reveals a widening trust gap between businesses deploying agentic AI for customer interactions and consumers who remain wary of sharing personal information due to security concerns.Key Findings from Businesses Using Agentic AI
- 53% of organizations are deploying or planning to deploy agentic AI for customer-facing roles.
- Nearly half (48%) use between 6 and 20 types of AI agents; 19% deploy 21 to 50 agents.
- 37% report having 1 to 100 AI agents active; 18% host between 501 and 1000 agents.
- Only 32% conduct daily API risk assessments.
- 37% have dedicated API security solutions.
- Just 37% have a data privacy team overseeing AI initiatives.
- 7% assess API risk monthly or less.
- 64% of consumers have interacted more frequently with AI chatbots in the past year.
- 80% of those consumers shared personal information during these interactions.
- 44% felt pressured to share information just to complete a task.
- Only 22% are comfortable sharing data with AI agents, compared to 37% over the phone and 54% in person.
- 62% believe AI agents are easier to trick than humans.
- Only 32% of organizations conduct daily API risk assessments.
- 7% assess API risk monthly or less.
- 37% use dedicated API security solutions.
- 37% have dedicated data privacy teams for AI initiatives. The report recommends best practices including:
- Continuous API monitoring and anomaly detection with AI tools.
- Strong authentication frameworks and least-privilege access.
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
- Regular security testing and developer training. Michael Callahan concluded, "Securing the APIs that power AI agents should be an urgent priority. This problem will compound if left unaddressed. Securing API infrastructure now reduces risk, builds trust, fosters innovation, and strengthens cyber resilience."
- Understanding the Cybersecurity Risks of AI Agents
- The Role of APIs in Modern Financial Technology
- Building Trust in Digital Interactions
Consumer Perspectives on AI Agents
The Trust and Security Gap
Despite the rapid adoption of agentic AI, consumer trust remains low. Michael Callahan, CMO at Salt Security, stated, "Agentic AI is changing the way businesses operate, but consumers are clearly signalling a lack of confidence. The safety and success of AI depends on APIs that power it, and they must be effectively discovered, governed, and secured. Otherwise, the trust gap will widen, and the risks will escalate."The Security Shortfall and Recommendations
APIs are the digital backbone of AI agents, enabling data retrieval, action triggering, and cross-platform interaction. Each API connection, however, increases the attack surface, making vulnerabilities in authentication, input validation, and access control critical risks. Security practices remain inconsistent:Additional Information
Download the full report, Securing the Future of Agentic AI, here. Methodology: Censuswide surveyed 1000 US-based consumers and 250 organizations with 250+ employees already using agentic AI.Source: PR Newswire on August 13, 2025