SHORT DEFINITION
The uncontrolled proliferation of AI agents across an enterprise, outpacing the governance structures designed to manage them.
Agent Sprawl is the uncontrolled proliferation of AI agents across an enterprise at a rate that outpaces the governance structures designed to manage them. It is the organizational condition that results when low-code and no-code tools make agent creation accessible to non-technical employees, while procurement, security, and compliance processes remain designed for software that only developers could build. Agent Sprawl is not a technology problem — it is the predictable consequence of deploying powerful creation tools without corresponding governance infrastructure.
CANONICAL EXAMPLE
Microsoft's Cyber Pulse report found that over 80% of Fortune 500 companies are deploying active agents built with low-code tools, while only 47% have implemented GenAI security controls. The gap between those two numbers is Agent Sprawl at enterprise scale.
USAGE GUIDANCE FOR CONTENT
Use Agent Sprawl to name the organizational condition before describing the specific governance failure or incident. It is most effective in posts and newsletter editions that open with a statistic — the Microsoft 80% / 47% gap is the canonical supporting data point. Do not use it to describe a technology malfunction. It is always an organizational and governance term.