For Valentine’s Day, we decided at Radware Link to check the pulse of our customers' most intense relationship this year. It’s not the one with their partners, it’s the one with their AI agents.
The data from our community was fascinating. We found that most Linkers (over 70%!) aren’t looking for a genius robot, but a "Bestie" they can trust blindly. In fact, most respondents defined their interface with AI as a Relationship in every sense. But within that connection, we discovered a recurring fear, one familiar to anyone who has ever looked for love: Ghosting.
In the world of cyber, ghosting isn't just an awkward silence; it’s the ultimate Red Flag. Based on what we’ve heard from the field, here are three ways an AI might be "filtering" its human partners:
1. The Silent Treatment (Action without Explanation)
When an AI agent performs an action on the network without explaining "why," it feels exactly like a partner disappearing without a word; our Linkers were clear: to build trust, they must see the data behind every action. They don’t want an agent making decisions behind closed doors, they want to be part of the conversation.
2. Radio Silence (Silence During a Crisis)
There is nothing more frustrating than radio silence when an answer is needed most. In the security world, when a critical event occurs, the system cannot afford to stay silent. Technical ghosting, a system that doesn't respond in real-time, is a total breach of trust. Customers expect an agent who always stays on an open line with them.
3. The Hidden Profile (Lack of Transparency)
Several respondents noted that their trust is built only when the agent is transparent about "who it's talking to." The moment an AI operates with vague processes, it is essentially "filtering" the user and hiding critical information. In a healthy relationship (and a secure network), there is no room for secrets.
Ernest Hemingway once said:
“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”
It’s a beautiful sentiment, but it is the biggest trap in the world of AI. Unlike humans, AI doesn't need us to believe in it to get better; it needs us to demand proof to stay secure. This dissonance is tricky: the machine often looks and feels like a partner, which tempts us to grant it the "emotional trust" we usually reserve for friends.
But here is the real insight: in a world where the lines between human and mechanical are blurring, the challenge isn't just to trust—it's to know when to stop. Our customers are learning to give technical trust based on transparency and data, while keeping their "heart" and human intuition as the final fail-safe.
Ultimately, we aren't looking for the AI to love us back. We just need it to stop ghosting us when we need it. In the end, trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and a few good, transparent lines of code to prove.
Happy Valentine’s Day: stay transparent, stay skeptical, and stay human!
Learn more in our Agentic AI Security Guide.