Masike Malatji
Abstract
This paper presents a novel, structured decision support framework that systematically aligns diverse artificial intelligence (AI) agent architectures, reactive, cognitive, hybrid, and learning, with the comprehensive National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0. By integrating agent theory with industry guidelines, this framework provides a transparent and stepwise methodology for selecting and deploying AI solutions to address contemporary cyber threats. Employing a granular decomposition of NIST CSF 2.0 functions into specific tasks, the study links essential AI agent properties such as autonomy, adaptive learning, and real-time responsiveness to each subcategory's security requirements. In addition, it outlines graduated levels of autonomy (assisted, augmented, and fully autonomous) to accommodate organisations at varying stages of cybersecurity maturity. This holistic approach transcends isolated AI applications, providing a unified detection, incident response, and governance strategy. Through conceptual validation, the framework demonstrates how tailored AI agent deployments can align with real-world constraints and risk profiles, enhancing situational awareness, accelerating response times, and fortifying long-term resilience via adaptive risk management. Ultimately, this research bridges the gap between theoretical AI constructs and operational cybersecurity demands, establishing a foundation for robust, empirically validated multi-agent systems that adhere to industry standards.