Nuggets launches new AI agent authentication products

As more organizations find ways to integrate artificial intelligence into their work, identity companies are working on building authentication infrastructure specifically for AI software – or more precisely, AI agents.

Decentralized digital identity and payments platform Nuggets has launched two new products, including the Private Personal AI and the Verified Identity for AI Agents, both designed for work with AI agents.

While an exact definition is still under debate, AI agents are usually considered to be software tools designed to automate tasks and achieve objectives. This can include trawling company databases to find information, helping developers code or track down issues, or allowing marketers to create a color scheme. To achieve this, the agents rely on natural language processing, machine learning, computer vision and other AI techniques.

Nuggets’ Private Personal AI product allows users to enable their AI agents to act on their behalf, including initiating payments. At the same time, it allows for securing their personal data privacy through consent, authentication and authorization, the company explains in its release.

The Verified Identity for AI Agents product, on the other hand, was designed to allow organizations to give AI agents their own sovereign digital identities, enabling secure authentication and authorization.

Why would a piece of software need authentication and authorization? More companies are delegating AI agents to complete tasks by giving them access to their protected resources. But that opens the question of access control and how to verify and monitor that AI agents are doing what they are supposed to do.

Nuggets says its product can ensure AI agents operate autonomously while maintaining clear accountability. Each AI agent is assigned a Decentralized Identifier (DID). This allows the agent’s actions to be traceable and transparent as they are recorded on a blockchain. Smart contracts also establish clear rules or defined permission for what an AI agent can or cannot do. Lastly, it also prevents unauthorized access and actions.

The two products were designed to help businesses and individuals maintain control over their digital identities and data, says the company’s co-founder Seema Khinda Johnson.

“As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the need for secure, privacy-preserving identity solutions for both humans and AI agents has never been more critical,” says Khinda Johnson.

Earlier this year, Nuggets partnered with public sector distributor Carahsoft to improve the interoperability and security of customer identity and access management (CIAM) systems within government agencies through decentralized identity and verifiable credentials.

The London-based company is also reportedly working with the Bank of England on a decentralized privacy layer that would allow digital currency holders to authenticate themselves without revealing personal data.

Article Topics

AI agents  |  authorization  |  biometric authentication  |  decentralized identifiers (DIDs)  |  digital identity  |  identity verification  |  Nuggets