NIST Seeks Feedback on Cybersecurity GenAI Chatbot

The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), hosted by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), recently outlined new plans to examine how artificial intelligence–driven software agents are identified, authenticated, and authorized, as part of a broader 2026 agenda aimed at strengthening enterprise and operational cybersecurity.
According to a newly released planning document, NCCoE’s 2026 priorities will be organized around four pillars: data protection, trusted enterprise, artificial intelligence, and resilient embedded systems.
A central AI-focused initiative will explore identity and authorization frameworks for agentic AI systems, as organizations increasingly deploy autonomous software agents to perform critical tasks.
“As AI agents are empowered to take on more tasks, enterprises need reliable ways to verify their identity and authorizations. Based on stakeholder input, the NCCoE is interested in launching a technology demonstration project to demonstrate how identity standards and best practices can be applied to software agents, with a focus on agentic AI applications,” NCCoE said.
Alongside its AI efforts, NCCoE will also pursue a project focused on operational technology cybersecurity, beginning with asset management.