Zscaler agentic AI security leadership expands

Zscaler has announced a senior leadership appointment focused on agentic AI security, reflecting the growing impact of autonomous AI systems on enterprise security models. The move highlights how AI is evolving beyond chat-based tools into agents that operate independently within business workflows.

This shift introduces new threat surfaces that traditional security tools were not designed to handle, particularly as AI agents begin functioning simultaneously as users and applications.

Leadership mandate tied to architectural security

The newly created role of Executive Vice President of Agentic AI Security Engineering is positioned at the architectural level rather than as an incremental security overlay. The responsibility includes defining how security frameworks adapt when AI agents interact with systems, data, and identities without direct human control.

According to the company, legacy approaches that rely on isolated tools are insufficient to manage these emerging risks. The focus instead is on embedding security controls into the core design of AI-driven environments.

Expanding Zero Trust for agentic workflows

A central pillar of the Zscaler agentic AI security approach is the expansion of its Zero Trust architecture. The company plans to extend this model beyond human users to cover machine and agent identities that operate autonomously.

This includes securing agentic workflows across environments where AI systems initiate actions, exchange data, and make decisions at scale. The effort aims to align identity, access, and policy enforcement with the realities of AI-driven operations.

Addressing enterprise-scale AI risks

Zscaler stated that agentic AI introduces a broader and more complex spectrum of threats, particularly in highly regulated environments. As AI agents gain autonomy, security controls must account for speed, scale, and non-linear behaviour that cannot be managed through traditional perimeter or endpoint models.

The company intends to deepen innovation across the AI stack, providing security foundations that support both developers building AI systems and business leaders deploying them.

Industry context and outlook

With a significant share of large enterprises already using its platform, Zscaler is positioning agentic AI security as a next phase in enterprise cyber defence. The emphasis remains on securing both human and machine-driven activity under a unified Zero Trust framework.

The appointment underscores how security strategies are adapting as AI becomes an operational actor rather than a passive tool, reshaping long-held assumptions about users, applications, and trust boundaries.