AI agents are proliferating at an unprecedented rate, with businesses expected to deploy more than one billion agents over the next three years. As these agents begin interacting with one another, a critical challenge has surfaced: the industry currently lacks a standard for distinguishing legitimate agents from unverified or malicious ones and ensuring the integrity of agent-to-agent communications.

To address this urgent need, GoDaddy is launching a trusted identity naming system for AI agents. Built on proven technologies and protocols, this system simplifies the process of identifying and verifying legitimate agents. The initiative leverages GoDaddy’s decades-long leadership in internet safety, drawing on its expertise in domain names, the Domain Name System (DNS), and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates.

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“The AI agentic space is a lot like the ‘Wild West’ of the early internet, but fortunately GoDaddy has three decades of experience building and sustaining trust in complex, rapidly evolving ecosystems,” said Travis Muhlestein, chief technology officer, Product & AI, at GoDaddy. “With our scale, expertise and technology, GoDaddy is uniquely positioned to extend that trust and help keep the internet safe from rogue AI agents.”

How the System Works

The system operates across multiple protocols via a modular adapter layer and builds on concepts outlined in an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) draft for an Agent Name Service (ANS). For each enrolled agent, the service generates a detailed report that verifies identity, confirms good standing, and specifies location.

Key features include:

  • Discovery through domains and DNS: Human-readable names link to agent endpoints and metadata for easy discovery.
  • Verifiable identity with X.509 certificates: Operators can enroll, renew, and manage certificates issued by trusted authorities, allowing cryptographic verification through the public key infrastructure (PKI).

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  • Protocol-agnostic adapters: An open layer translates agent records into formats compatible with popular agent frameworks, preventing vendor lock-in.
  • Lifecycle management: Secure registration, renewal, and revocation workflows ensure governance and safety in production deployments.

Standards-Aligned and Industry-Ready

GoDaddy’s system draws from IETF’s work on an agent name service, creating a universal, DNS-inspired directory that combines discovery with PKI-backed verification and a protocol-agnostic adapter layer. The company is actively collaborating with standards bodies and industry partners to promote widespread adoption, seamless interoperability, and a safer AI agent ecosystem.

By introducing this trusted identity system, GoDaddy aims to establish a foundational layer of trust in the rapidly expanding world of AI agents, preventing malicious activity and ensuring reliable agent-to-agent interactions.

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