Identity for AI: Who Are Your Agents and What Can They Do?

The integration of AI onboarding agents into SaaS products presents new challenges in identity and access management, as these agents require extensive access to tools and services to function effectively. Unlike traditional machine-to-machine authentication designed for predictable scenarios, AI agents operate more like digital employees, necessitating a rethink of security practices such as least privilege access, compliance, and authentication without a login page. This shift demands innovative approaches, including persona shadowing, delegation chains, capability-based tokens, and human-in-the-loop escalation to ensure secure and efficient operation. Emerging standards like UMA, GNAP, and OIDC-A are being developed to address these unique requirements, while industry leaders are adapting their systems to accommodate the growing presence of AI agents. As AI agents become more prevalent, potentially driving the majority of system interactions, the industry must collaborate to establish robust standards that maintain user trust and ensure secure digital futures.