Gartner Predicts Guardian Agents Will Ensure Trustworthy AI by 2030

By 2030, guardian agent technologies will account for 10-15% of the agentic AI market, according to Gartner. These AI-based technologies are designed to support trustworthy and secure interactions with AI, functioning as both assistants and semi-autonomous or fully autonomous agents.

Guardrails Needed as Agentic AI Use Grows

A May 2025 Gartner webinar poll of 147 CIOs and IT leaders revealed:

• 24% had deployed fewer than a dozen AI agents.
• 4% had deployed over a dozen.
• 50% were researching or experimenting with the technology.
• 17% planned to deploy AI agents by the end of 2026.

Avivah Litan, VP Distinguished Analyst at Gartner, emphasized: "Agentic AI will lead to unwanted outcomes if not controlled with the right guardrails. Guardian agents balance runtime decision-making with risk management."

Risks Increase as AI Agent Power Spreads

52% of respondents focus AI agents on internal administrative functions (IT, HR, accounting), while 23% target customer-facing applications. Key threats include:

• Input manipulation and data poisoning (e.g., credential hijacking, fake websites).
• Agent deviation and unintended behavior, leading to reputational damage.

Three Primary Guardian Agent Use Types

Gartner recommends organizations adopt guardian agents for:

1. Reviewers: Identify and review AI-generated content for accuracy.
2. Monitors: Track AI actions for human or AI follow-up.
3. Protectors: Adjust or block AI actions in real-time.

Litan warned: "As enterprises adopt multi-agent systems, humans can’t keep up with errors or malicious activities. Guardian agents provide automated oversight."

By 2028, 70% of AI apps will use multi-agent systems, making guardian agents a critical pillar of AI integration.

Image credit: iStock.com/MF3d

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