AI + ML
I am not a number! I am a free agent (that just happens to have a number)
Estonia plans to allow AI agents to have their own digital identities so they can act on behalf of people in a way that can be verified and audited.The initiative, backed by the country's Eesti.ai advisory board, calls for the development of ID codes that AI agents can use to take actions, subject to some unspecified authorization and task delegation process.Academics and corporate technical folk have already made related proposals in recognition of the absence of agentic technical infrastructure. Last month, researchers under the flag of OWASP proposed the Agent Name Service for agent discovery and interoperability. DNS for AI Discovery is another such project.
But these have more to do with platform plumbing while Estonia, known for its embrace of technology, is more focused on permission and punishment. Establishing digital identities for AI agents and authorizing limited powers will help avoid scenarios where individuals are required to delegate broad authority to an agent at the expense of their rights, the government says.
"In the future, AI will increasingly carry out digital tasks on our behalf, compiling reports, preparing declarations or interacting with information systems," said Prime Minister Kristen Michal in a statement. "To that end, it must be clear who is acting on whose behalf with what rights, and who is ultimately responsible."By taking this step, Estonia casts itself as "first country to create digital identities for AI agents."
