‘Digital ID cards’: China moves to regulate AI agents with unified identity system

China is establishing an identity system for artificial intelligence agents, as part of new national standards released on Friday to regulate the next frontier of autonomous technology.

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) unveiled the standard for “Artificial Intelligence Agent Interconnection”, aiming to establish a “closed-loop system” with a unified identity management framework for all AI agents, according to a report from state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).

The new guideline – China’s first national standard focused on AI agent connectivity – was aimed at solidifying the institutional foundation for secure cross-domain interaction of AI agents, according to CCTV.

It sets out seven sub-standards covering core aspects from overall architecture to details such as identity code establishment and AI agent tool deployment.

The move underscores Beijing’s broader efforts to support enterprise adoption of AI agents while ensuring security as they quickly expand into real-world applications.

The unified framework would allow enterprises to plug into standardised AI agent components, reducing development costs and shortening product launch cycles, according to CCTV.