Anticipating the Agentic Era: Assessing the Disruptions by AI Agents

Introduction

As we enter the agentic era, AI agents are increasingly integrated into various aspects of modern life, performing tasks that range from personal assistance and financial management to complex decision-making in industries. These AI agents, driven by powerful algorithms, are transforming how we interact with technology and each other. However, their proliferation also introduces significant challenges, such as cybersecurity vulnerabilities, economic and business disruptions, ethical dilemmas, and privacy concerns. This conference aims to delve into how AI agents could challenge existing systems and structures while exploring strategies to mitigate these threats effectively. Industry leaders, researchers and academics, and stakeholders will convene to discuss the implications of AI agents and collaborate on building a resilient future that harnesses their potential responsibly.
This event is organized by the Center for Digital Trust (C4DT), EPFL.

Objectives

• Assess the transformative impact of AI agents on cybersecurity, the economy, business models, governance, regulation, and society.
• Facilitate expert dialogue on the risks, ethical challenges, and opportunities introduced by agentic systems.
• Discuss strategies and frameworks for safely and responsibly deploying, governing, and regulating autonomous AI agents.

Discussion points

1. Evolving Cyber Threats in the Age of AI Agents
Explore the unique cybersecurity risks introduced by autonomous AI agents, examining model, code, and prompt-based vulnerabilities as well as new modalities of data exfiltration and privacy breaches. Through expert talks and case studies, participants will discuss strategies and solutions to address the increasingly complex threat landscape created by agentic systems.

2. Evaluation and Benchmarking of AI Agents
Examine the critical importance of robust evaluation and transparent benchmarking for AI agents, discussing methodologies to assess their capabilities, reliability, and trustworthiness. The conference will address how standardized evaluation practices can guide safer deployment, continuous improvement, and informed oversight of agentic systems.

3. AI Agents and the Transformation of the Workforce
Examine the profound impact of AI agents on the job market, discussing how automation is shifting employment patterns and redefining the skills required across industries. The conference aims to address the challenges of workforce displacement and to explore forward-thinking approaches for worker reskilling and policy adaptation.

4. Accelerating Innovation and Transforming Education & Research
Discuss how AI agents are compressing research timelines and transforming educational and research paradigms, examining both the tremendous opportunities for faster knowledge creation and the challenges to established teaching and learning models. The session will explore new frameworks for harnessing these advancements while addressing potential risks and inequities.

5. Governing Algorithms: Accountability in Agentic Systems
Examine the governance challenges that arise as AI agents become increasingly autonomous, exploring frameworks for transparency, oversight, and assigning responsibility for agentic actions. Stakeholders will discuss how to address gaps in accountability and ensure robust mechanisms for remediation in cases of harm or malfunction.

6. Regulatory Frontiers: Crafting Laws for Autonomous Agents
Address the limitations of traditional regulatory approaches in the face of rapidly developing AI agents, exploring innovative legal frameworks and adaptive policy tools. The conference will discuss how best to regulate agentic systems to ensure safety, fairness, and ethical deployment without curtailing beneficial innovation.

7. Navigating the Autonomy-Control Spectrum
Discuss the growing tension between granting AI agents autonomy and retaining essential human oversight, exploring methods to calibrate agentic independence with safety and controllability. The conference will examine best practices and scenarios to address potential risks associated with unchecked or misaligned autonomy.

8. Ethics and Safety in Self-Improving Agents
Explore the unique ethical and safety concerns posed by AI agents capable of recursive self-improvement, examining alignment challenges and long-term risks to society. The conference will discuss strategies to address these concerns through robust design, ongoing oversight, and the development of effective containment measures.