Salesforce Unveils Agent Scanners to Tame Rising AI Agent Sprawl

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, small businesses are at a pivotal crossroads. As the number of AI agents is set to surge globally, expectations are high for enhanced operational efficiency. Salesforce’s latest announcement regarding the MuleSoft Agent Fabric offers small business owners promising solutions to leverage AI while avoiding common pitfalls, ushering in what they describe as the era of the “Agentic Enterprise.”

The challenges associated with the deployment of AI agents have increased significantly, particularly in terms of visibility and governance. Analyst firm IDC predicts that by 2029, there will be over 1 billion deployed AI agents worldwide. However, as small businesses harness these tools, they may face agent sprawl—where numerous specialized agents proliferate across teams without coherent tracking. This can lead to shadow AI risks—unverified agents operating without organizational oversight.

Salesforce’s MuleSoft Agent Fabric aims to address these issues with its innovative enhancements. By utilizing new Agent Scanners, the platform offers automated detection and cataloging of AI agents across multiple environments—including Salesforce Agentforce, Amazon Bedrock, and Google Cloud’s Vertex AI. This consolidated approach not only simplifies management but also streamlines integration for custom agents and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. According to Andrew Comstock, SVP & GM of MuleSoft, “The most successful organizations of the next decade will be those that harness the full diversity of the multicloud AI landscape.”

For small business owners, the practical applications of this technology are manifold. With Agent Scanners doing the heavy lifting, AI engineers can save time that would otherwise be spent manually combing through cloud environments. For instance, if a small business creates an inventory forecasting agent on Google Cloud, it can be automatically registered alongside customer support agents built within Salesforce, reducing the likelihood of oversight and operational inefficiencies.

MuleSoft’s capabilities go even further. The platform enables comprehensive metadata extraction, ensuring that users have insights into what each agent can access and control. This is particularly important in regulated industries such as finance, where understanding data access is crucial for compliance.

However, small business owners should also be aware of potential challenges. As organizations begin to adopt these new systems, there may be a learning curve associated with integrating them into existing workflows. Staff may need training to navigate the new visibility tools and understand how to optimize their AI investments effectively.

Moreover, while the automated registration of AI agents enhances accountability, it’s essential for businesses to develop internal compliance policies to safeguard against risks associated with deploying unverified shadow AI. As Brad Ringer, Enterprise & Integration Architect at AT&T, noted, “MuleSoft is a massive accelerator for our long-term AI roadmap. With AI moving so fast, MuleSoft Agent Fabric provides the framework we need to scale.”

Beyond automation, the MuleSoft Agent Visualizer offers an advanced view of all deployed agents, enabling small businesses to filter and audit their AI landscape easily. For example, identifying redundant agents across different regions allows organizations to strategically consolidate resources and cut unnecessary costs.

Salesforce contends that this cohesiveness is not merely administrative but a strategic imperative. By maintaining a unified view of all AI assets, small businesses can harness greater collective intelligence, ensuring that innovative solutions built by various teams remain interconnected and effective.

The enhancements introduced by MuleSoft Agent Fabric will begin to roll out in January 2026, making it a timely prospect for small businesses looking to modernize their operations. With capabilities aimed at fostering collaboration, driving accountability, and optimizing investments, this platform represents a significant advancement for businesses hoping to capitalize on their AI strategies.

For further details about MuleSoft’s latest offerings, interested parties can explore the full press release here: Salesforce Press Release.

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This article, "Salesforce Unveils Agent Scanners to Tame Rising AI Agent Sprawl" was first published on Small Business Trends

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