Not all agents are the same—but today, we treat them as if they are.

Traditional IAM models group everything into:

  • Human users
  • Service accounts

This is no longer sufficient.

To properly secure, govern, and scale AI, we need a formal classification model for Non-Human Identities (NHI); specifically NHI-Agents.

What Is an NHI-Agent?

An NHI-Agent is: A non-human identity that can act autonomously or semi-autonomously to perform tasks, make decisions, and interact with systems or other agents.

Key Characteristics:

  • Has intent (task-driven execution)
  • Operates with context awareness
  • Can initiate actions, not just respond
  • May delegate to other agents
  • Requires identity lifecycle governance

Why NHI-Agent Classification Is Critical

Without classification, organizations face:

  • Overprivileged AI agents
  • No ownership or accountability
  • Inability to trace decisions
  • Compliance gaps (SOX, ISO, NIST)
  • Security blind spots in automation

NHI-Agents are no longer theoretical; they are already operating inside modern enterprises, driving automation, decisions, and interactions at scale. But with that power comes a fundamental requirement:

They must be treated as first-class identities; not as traditional service accounts. Enterprises adopting AI today must immediately integrate NHI-Agent governance into their IAM strategy.

Without proper classification, organizations expose themselves to significant risk—overprivileged access, lack of accountability, and limited visibility into autonomous actions. These are not just technical gaps; they are security, compliance, and operational risks that can scale rapidly with AI adoption.

Gabriel Magarino – Senior Security Manager | IAM Evangelist - Experienced leader with over 20 years in the IT and cybersecurity industry, specializing in Identity & Access Management. Expert in Okta, One Identity, SailPoint (IdentityIQ & IdentityNow), OneLogin, Delinea, and CyberArk. Passionate about exploring IAM and emerging technologies, coaching, and training IAM teams. Holds a Master’s in Computer Science and multiple certifications, including Okta Professional & Administration, One Identity Architect & Instructor, SailPoint Identity Now, ITIL, Scrum Master, among others. Currently pursuing a PhD with a focus on Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence.

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