Your API Security Wasn’t Built for AI Agents

Podcast: The Security Strategist podcast Guest: Eric Schwake, Director of Cybersecurity Strategy, Salt Security Host: Shubhangi Dua, Podcast Producer and B2B Tech Journalist Adopting enterprise AI is often seen as a productivity boost. However, a subtler change is happening behind the scenes, and security leaders are still trying to understand it. Enterprises now not only optimise AI tools but are also bringing autonomous agents into their workplaces. “We would call AI agents an additional workforce that enterprises are deploying,” says Eric Schwake, Director of Cybersecurity Strategy at Salt Security. The description is more literal than it seems. These agents can access systems, interact with data, and perform multi-step tasks with little human input. Unlike employees, they lack intuition and caution. In the recent episode of The Security Strategist podcast, Schwake sat down with Shubhangi Dua, Podcast Producer and B2B Tech Journalist, to discuss AI agents, shadow AI, and API security challenges are transforming enterprise cybersecurity. Schwake explains how to secure autonomous AI systems at scale today. Key Takeaways AI agents behave like employees and need the same level of security oversight. Most AI risk sits in the API layer, where actions actually happen. Faster AI systems can turn small security gaps into major threats. Unmonitored “shadow AI” tools are quietly exposing sensitive data. Continuous visibility is the foundation of securing any AI ecosystem. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI and Cybersecurity 02:43 Insights from RSA Conference 06:30 The Role of AI Agents in Security 08:30 Transitioning from Discovery to Governance 12:03 Protecting Sensitive Data in AI Systems 15:21 Identifying Weak Points in AI Security 18:54 The Need for Measured Security Approaches 20:38 CISO Strategies for API Security 23:22 The Future of AI in Cybersecurity 25:14 Visibility as a Key Security Measure For more information, please visit em360tech.com and salt.security. To learn more about Salt Security and AI and API security, follow: Salt Security LinkedIn: Salt Security Salt Security X: @SaltSecurity Salt Security YouTube: @SaltSecurity EM360Tech YouTube: @enterprisemanagement360 EM360Tech LinkedIn: @EM360Tech EM360Tech X: @EM360Tech #AISecurity #EnterpriseAI #Cybersecurity #APISecurity #AgenticAI #AutonomousAI #ShadowAI #AIGovernance #EnterpriseSecurity #ArtificialIntelligence #AICompliance #DataSecurity #CyberRisk #TechPodcast #CISO #SecurityLeadership #GenerativeAI #AIInfrastructure #DigitalTransformation #CyberDefense #AIThreats #EnterpriseTech #SaltSecurity #EM360Tech #AIInnovation