AI Agents Need ID Badges Too!

AI agents are transitioning from assistive tools to autonomous actors capable of executing code, negotiating resources, and making operational decisions. Once an entity can act independently, identity becomes mandatory. In security terms, an AI agent without identity is indistinguishable from malware. Zero Trust for AI agents requires strong authentication (cryptographic workload identities, not API keys), fine-grained authorization (capability- and intent-scoped permissions), and continuous verification (behavioral and policy-based reassessment). Using A-DSRM, agent identity systems are refined iteratively. Each sprint exposes new failure modes. Each iteration tightens least privilege. In energy grids, transportation systems, and healthcare platforms, AI agent compromise becomes a safety incident, not just a breach.