Agents in Your Organization? Time to Take the Lead!

AI agents can boost your productivity—but without proper governance, things can spiral out of control fast.

Not long ago, I was in a meeting with a client, and the topic of AI agents came up. Everyone was excited about what’s possible: agents that handle customer queries, schedule meetings, write summaries, or generate reports automatically. The energy was high.

Then someone asked, “Do we actually know who’s creating these agents, what they do, or what data they use?”

The room went quiet. That question changed the conversation—and it’s exactly why I’m writing this blog.

So, what exactly are agents?

Let’s keep it simple: an AI agent is a digital assistant with a purpose. You give it a task, and it completes it, sometimes completely independently. Think of it as a virtual colleague that can read, write, decide, and act.

From summarizing emails to automating business processes, these agents can take real work off your plate. But just like a human colleague, they need oversight, purpose, and structure.

The promise and the risk

AI agents are powerful. They accelerate work, improve user experiences, and create more space for people to focus on what really matters.

But without guardrails in place, they can also:

• Access or share sensitive data without anyone knowing
• Multiply rapidly—without ownership or transparency
• Make poor decisions based on flawed input
• Create compliance, privacy, or security issues

Before you know it, you have dozens of agents running wild in your environment, and no one’s quite sure how or why.

Why governance can’t wait

Agents are like employees. You wouldn’t hire someone without a job description, training, or a manager. AI agents deserve the same treatment.

Good governance means:

• Knowing which agents exist
• Understanding what they do and what data they use
• Having clear ownership and oversight
• Ensuring ethical, safe, and compliant use

This isn’t just an IT matter. It’s a shared responsibility between tech, security, legal, compliance, and business teams.

Where to start: small steps, big impact

You don’t need a fully developed governance framework to get started. Here’s how to start today:

1. Inventory your agents: What exists already or is in development?
2. Assign ownership: Every agent should have someone accountable for its lifecycle.
3. Document purpose and access: What does it do? What data does it touch?
4. Use tools like Microsoft Copilot Studio’s built-in governance features
5. Make it a conversation: Don’t wait for a policy doc—start talking about it today.

Governance isn't a blocker, it’s an enabler

Let’s be honest: "governance" doesn’t sound exciting. But I see it differently. To me, it’s about:

• Gaining visibility into what’s really happening
• Staying in control of fast-moving technology
• Creating trust in the tools we rely on every day

And trust is the foundation for adoption. Without it, people will hesitate to use these amazing technologies - or worse, use them without understanding the risks.

One action you can take today

Here’s my challenge for you: Ask yourself (or your team) the following:

• Are we already using agents or planning to?
• Who’s allowed to create them?
• Do we know what they do and what data they access?
• Do we have any policies or boundaries in place?

If not, this is your moment to start. You don’t need all the answers, just the willingness to begin.

Want to learn more?

These resources are incredibly helpful if you're ready to take the next step:

• Rencore's Whitepaper "Regulating your AI companion: Best practices for Microsoft Copilot governance" - download for free.
  
  
• Microsoft's Agent Governance Whitepaper - download here.

If this blog sparks questions or if you're wondering where to begin with agent governance,  feel free to reach out. I'm always happy to share ideas or point you to the right tools and people.

Let’s make sure AI agents work for us, not around us!