Identity security now determines how safely artificial intelligence agents can access systems and act across enterprise workflows.
As AI agents log in to applications and execute tasks, companies must treat them as governed identities rather than ordinary software tools. Okta’s strategy reflects this shift by extending established controls for human users to nonhuman identities. The immediate challenge is defining an agent’s authority before it can affect sensitive data or business operations, according to Krista Case, principal analyst and practice lead for cyber resilience and security at theCUBE Research.
“AI agents turn identity from an access problem into an execution problem, requiring enterprises to govern what an agent is authorized to do, on whose behalf, under what conditions and for how long,” Case said. “That makes identity a critical control point between probabilistic AI reasoning and deterministic enterprise execution.”
Join theCUBE on Sept. 24 as Case speaks with industry experts from Okta and other companies for an exclusive broadcast from Okta’s Oktane event, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They will discuss why identity controls must govern what AI agents can access and do. (* Disclosure below.)
Identity security must account for autonomous action
Traditional identity systems were designed around employees whose roles, permissions and offboarding could be managed through familiar processes. AI agents complicate that model because they can work across multiple systems and invoke tools without direct human involvement at every step. Okta is extending its identity platform to help enterprises apply consistent authentication, authorization and governance controls to these agents. Each agent therefore needs its own identity, defined authority and enforceable boundaries.
“The agentic enterprise will force identity architecture to evolve beyond a human-centric model,” Case explained. “Unique identities, least-privilege access and lifecycle governance are the starting point. Preserving accountability as agents reason across systems, invoke tools and act autonomously is the harder problem. The identity layer will become part of the governance fabric that connects human intent to machine action.”
Enterprises also need continuous visibility into what agents access and change, Case added. Static permissions can become dangerous when an agent’s assigned task, operating context or delegated authority shifts. Dynamic authorization can limit that exposure, while identity threat protection can help detect credential misuse, excessive access and attempted privilege escalation across cloud and hybrid environments.
“Identity will become one of the most consequential control planes in the agent-driven enterprise,” Case said. “As agents become more autonomous, enterprises will need dynamic authorization tied to business context, delegated authority and intent, plus the ability to reconstruct not only what an agent did, but why it was permitted to do it.”
TheCUBE event livestream
Don’t miss theCUBE’s coverage of Okta’s Oktane event on Sept. 24. Plus, you can watch theCUBE’s exclusive content on-demand after the live event.
How to watch theCUBE interviews
We offer various ways for you to watch theCUBE’s coverage of Okta’s Oktane event, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on SiliconANGLE.
TheCUBE podcasts
SiliconANGLE’s “theCUBE Pod” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, which you can enjoy while on the go. During each podcast, SiliconANGLE’s John Furrier and Dave Vellante unpack the biggest trends in enterprise tech — from AI and cloud to regulation and workplace culture — with exclusive context and analysis.
SiliconANGLE also produces our weekly “Breaking Analysis” program, where Dave Vellante examines the top stories in enterprise tech, combining insights from theCUBE with spending data from Enterprise Technology Research, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
Guests
At Okta’s Oktane event on Sept. 24, theCUBE will explore how identity governance helps enterprises make AI agents trusted participants in business workflows. Analysts will speak with Okta executives and other industry leaders about controlling the data and systems these agents can access and the actions they can perform.
(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for Okta’s Oktane event. Neither Okta, the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)
