Definition
A standardized, publicly checkable identity record for an autonomous AI agent that names who is responsible for it — like a passport for software agents acting on the internet. The proposed IETF standard would give agents a verifiable identity so their actions can be attributed to an accountable party. Without it, agents act on the web with no checkable name.
Why it matters
If an agent signs a contract, alters data, or gets compromised, someone must be able to determine who is accountable; identity documents make attribution — and therefore liability — possible.