Adjournment motion on national digital identity infrastructure for AI agents

Agentic AI is advancing at unprecedented speed and this autonomy demands new ways of governance, said MP Tin Pei Ling. AI agents can no longer be treated as machines operated by humans; they act on humans’ behalf and need to be identifiable and accountable, she said. In parliament on Wednesday (Nov 4), Ms Tin proposed creating a national digital identity infrastructure for AI agents, similar to Singpass. She envisaged a registry where an agent’s identity is bound to the team or organisation accountable for it and can be checked, along with its mandate; and where any material change in mandate requires fresh, documented authorisation. Further, there should be “biometric passporting” of the AI agents, with Singapore’s registry built on open, interoperable standards so that it is ready to connect with others. In reply, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Minister-in-charge of GovTech Jasmin Lau said the government agrees with the objective underpinning Ms Tin’s proposal. It also aims to create an environment where AI agents can interact seamlessly and securely across organisations and platforms. With some efforts already underway, Ms Lau said the government will work with industry to find out what works in practice, build on existing infrastructure and emerging global standards, and fill gaps. This will inform its assessment of whether additional common infrastructure, including a national registry, is needed, she said.