The text discusses the critical importance of robust and consistent API access controls as the number of APIs continues to grow dramatically, presenting challenges for API security and infrastructure management. It emphasizes the need for organizations to adopt standardized API development processes and centralized management to prevent productivity loss, fragmented controls, and maintenance challenges. A comprehensive API management platform can address these issues by providing a unified control plane for security, traffic management, and analytics, ensuring organizational oversight and reducing the risks associated with "shadow IT." The text also highlights the role of the OpenAPI specification in securing APIs by defining usage requirements and mitigating unauthorized access, underscoring that API security is a shared responsibility between platform teams and organizational leadership. It concludes by stressing the urgency of implementing these changes to enhance API security, recommending Kong's API management solutions as a way to achieve consistent controls and improved productivity.