Automating digital transformation API deployments can accelerate time to market and reduce resource use, provided security requirements are met, as discussed by Kong's Peggy Guyott and Ned Harris during the Destination: Automation 2021 digital event. They highlighted tools like Kong Developer Portal and Inso CLI that facilitate secure and automated API deployments. APIOps, which ensures frequent and continuous security and performance testing, is central to making deployments consistent and predictable. During a demo, Harris showcased a "spec-first" approach for API deployment using Kubernetes clusters for development and QA, emphasizing the importance of OpenAPI Specifications for configuration and documentation. The demo revealed that the API initially failed testing due to the absence of rate limiting and OpenID Connect policies, which were later enforced using Kong's plug-ins. By utilizing GitHub Actions and CI/CD, Harris demonstrated deploying the API configuration to development successfully. The process highlighted the versatility of Kong's plug-ins and the potential for customization based on organizational needs.