AI Agents For Network And Security: Expectations Vs Reality
Cisco, Wednesday, September 24th, 2025
In this article, we examined engineers' expectations regarding AI agents for networking and security, as well as the availability of commercial and open-source AI agents or solutions.
What Is an AI Agent?
An AI agent is an autonomous software system that independently perceives, reasons, and acts to achieve specific goals. Unlike traditional software that follows fixed instructions, agents continuously monitor their environment, make dynamic decisions based on available information, and adapt their strategies through learning and experience. Modern AI agents utilize tools such as web search, APIs, code execution, and file manipulation to interact with external systems, enabling them to perform complex tasks-from network monitoring and troubleshooting to security analysis and threat response.