A major paradigm shift is taking place in the world of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). Agentic GRC replaces outdated, inefficient workflows with a modern, data-driven methodology that is changing the industry. To enhance operational efficiency, experts in governance, risk, and compliance as well as artificial intelligence created this framework to strategically position AI. It smartly employs agents to automate all major processes. By adopting Agentic GRC, organizations can transform the way they manage compliance and risk—equipping themselves to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Agentic GRC is built on four critical components: objective statement, context, execution steps, and decision criteria. This new structured approach encourages GRC teams to fundamentally rethink their workflows and operations. Nonprofits are scrambling to figure this all out in a fast changing and confusing regulatory environment. Making sure the most recent and comprehensive data is available becomes paramount. Agentic GRC goes beyond making compliance easier—it takes away the pain that’s usually a part of enterprise GRC.
Key Components of Agentic GRC
The full strength of Agentic GRC comes from its four key principles. The objective statement outlines the purpose and goals of the initiative, while the context provides background information necessary for understanding the operational environment. Execution steps outline the desired way teams will execute the methodology, and decision criteria inform the way to evaluate outcomes.
Central to the effectiveness of Agentic GRC is its focus on defining outcomes across five dimensions: artifact generation, system integration, workflow triggering, stakeholder notification, and audit trail creation. These dimensions lay the groundwork for greater comprehensiveness and transparency in GRC processes, which leads to more informed decision-making.
Integrating these functions into everyday GRC operations might seem like a radical change of course for GRC teams. As Yair Kuznitsov, Co-Founder and CEO of Anecdotes says, real change starts with embracing change. He encourages GRC teams to begin building this methodology into their everyday workflows as soon as possible. This forward-thinking approach ensures that organizations are ready for the next wave of innovation in GRC.
Triggers and Validation in Agentic GRC
Agentic GRC distinguishes itself by establishing triggers across three categories: temporal, event-driven, and on-demand. A production Compliance Control Management (CCM) agent tows those compliance triggers in production. For example, it conducts weekly reviews of high-risk controls to confirm they’re adequately protected. In addition, it enables automatic activation when new resources are provisioned in the cloud, and it reacts instantly when auditors ask for real-time evidence.
Validation within the Agentic GRC framework operates at two levels: execution completeness and outcome accuracy. This double-layer validation guarantees that every eligible system and time frame is touched while gathering evidence. This not only verifies that all in-scope controls have been significantly evaluated, but that the documentation of findings includes all required attachments.
The stringent requirements of validation give confidence that any changes made to a system align with existing control statuses. It helps to make sure that stakeholder notifications go to the appropriate parties. You now always have the ability to review a full audit trail at any time. Such great technical precision enables companies to maintain an effective compliance program and therefore reduce risks.
The Future of GRC with Agentic GRC
Moving from traditional uses of AI in GRC to the Agentic GRC methodology is a quantum improvement. While many organizations have explored using AI to improve existing workflows, Kuznitsov questions whether it truly enables a fundamental transformation: “Does AI make a completely new way of operating possible?”
Unlike conventional AI implementations that often fail to make a substantial impact on enterprise-scale programs, Agentic GRC offers a more comprehensive solution. It allows any organization to create forensic compliance results that are evidence-based. Moreover, it refreshes control testing statuses across GRC platforms, generates audit-ready documentation, initiates remediation workflows, alerts control owners / stakeholders and generates a full audit trail.
This all-encompassing top-tier capability does wonders for advancing operational effectiveness while eliminating those annoying enterprise GRC pain points. By adopting Agentic GRC organizations can increase efficacy and efficiency in their compliance initiatives. This empowers them to become leaders in the rapidly-changing world of governance.