For small businesses, the practical issue is not whether to use AI tools at all. The ESET 2026 SMB Cyber Readiness Index similarly identifies misconfigured AI agents, prompt-injection attacks, shadow AI and agents that bypass security procedures as risks associated with AI integration. ESET’s 2026 SMB Cyber Readiness Index found that 73% of surveyed businesses are integrating AI, while 70% acknowledge that AI introduces new risks. Governance must keep pace with agent adoptionThe broader trend is the rapid adoption of AI agents alongside uneven governance. Businesses subject to relevant rules should consider how agent access, activity records and human controls are documented.