Thales Group Report: One in Three Companies Already Uses AI Agents, and Security Risks Are Growing

In its data threat report on information security, multinational corporation Thales Group surveyed more than 3000 professionals in 20 countries. It found that 34% of organizations already use AI agents, and 73% plan to deploy them within the next year. The expert and analytical center InfoWatch published its breakdown of the report in July 2026.

How many companies use AI agents

According to Thales Group, 34% of organizations already use AI agents in their work, and another 73% intend to deploy them within the next year. The survey covered more than 3000 information security professionals in 20 countries.

In parallel, the Business Information Security Association (BISA) surveyed representatives of Russian companies about information security risks when using AI in workflows. The report treats the Russian context separately.

• Thales Group survey: more than 3000 respondents in 20 countries
• 34% of organizations already use AI agents
• 73% plan to deploy agents within a year
• Security budgets for AI-related tasks are growing by roughly 50% a year
• A separate BISA survey covered Russian companies

Why security is not keeping pace

Agent-based applications have sharply increased the speed and volume of data being processed, and companies now find it considerably harder to maintain the required level of protection, the Thales Group report says. The number of organizations that set aside a dedicated information security budget specifically for AI-related tasks is growing by roughly 50% a year.

This spending growth is a direct result of the fact that older control models were not designed for autonomous systems. Data inside organizations now moves faster and in larger volumes, which means there are more points where a leak or an error can occur.

What exactly is the new risk

The main risk the Thales Group report highlights is an AI agent turning into an insider threat. An agent operates inside the corporate perimeter, accesses internal systems and data, and acts autonomously, so weak control over it is more dangerous than many external attacks. A third of organizations (34%) already use such agents, often faster than they build rules for using them safely.

"As agentic AI is adopted, ways of ensuring internal security must improve, or AI will quickly become an insider threat," is the conclusion of analysts at the

InfoWatch expert and analytical center after reviewing the Thales Group report.

What this means

AI agents are moving from experiment to standard business tool: a third of companies already use them, and most plan to deploy them within a year. But the pace of adoption is outrunning the maturity of protection, and without stronger internal controls an agent risks becoming the most vulnerable point of the corporate perimeter.

Frequently asked questions

How many companies already use AI agents?

According to Thales Group, 34% of organizations already use AI agents, and 73% plan to deploy them within a year. The survey covered more than 3000 professionals in 20 countries.

Why do AI agents increase information security risks?

AI agents sharply increase the speed and volume of data being processed, and they operate inside the corporate perimeter. As a result, security budgets for AI-related tasks are growing by roughly 50% a year, and experts warn of the risk of an agent turning into an insider threat.