AI Agents Need Logins Too: Identity, Security, and the Future of AI | Greg Keller (JumpCloud)
Get 90 days of Fellow free at Fellow.ai/coo AI is moving fast. Most companies are focused on tools. The real challenge may be identity. In this episode of Between Two COOs, Michael Koenig sits down with Greg Keller, co-founder and CTO of JumpCloud, to explore why identity access management is becoming the control layer for modern companies and the foundation for secure AI adoption. Greg explains how identity systems evolved from the Microsoft Active Directory era to today’s cloud-first world of SaaS apps, remote teams, and mixed operating systems. As companies adopt AI agents, bots, and automation, a new category of non-human identities is emerging inside organizations. The conversation explores how AI agents will need permissions just like employees, why poorly managed API keys create hidden infrastructure risks, and why COOs should be working closely with CISOs to ensure AI adoption happens securely. If your company is experimenting with AI tools, this episode will change how you think about identity, access, and security.
Get 90 days of Fellow free at Fellow.ai/coo
In this episode, Michael Koenig speaks with Greg Keller, co-founder and CTO of JumpCloud, about identity access management and why it’s becoming one of the most important operational systems in the age of AI.
Greg explains how traditional identity systems were designed for office-based companies running Microsoft infrastructure and why that model broke as companies moved to SaaS, cloud infrastructure, and remote work.
The discussion then turns to the next big shift: the rise of AI agents and synthetic identities inside organizations.
As companies deploy more AI tools, the number of machine identities may soon outnumber human employees. Managing what those systems can access will become a critical security and operational challenge.
Topics Covered
What a CTO actually does
Greg explains the different types of CTO roles and how technology leaders help companies anticipate where the market is headed.
Identity Access Management explained simply
IAM answers three core questions inside every company:
Who are you?
What can you access?
How is that access managed?
Why the old IT model broke
Traditional identity systems were built for on-premise offices and Microsoft infrastructure. Modern companies now operate across:
SaaS applications
cloud infrastructure
remote work environments
multiple operating systems
How JumpCloud approaches identity
JumpCloud was built to manage identity across devices, applications, and infrastructure regardless of platform.
Where Okta fits in the ecosystem
Okta helped modernize browser-based authentication through Single Sign-On, while JumpCloud focuses on broader identity infrastructure.
AI, Security, and Synthetic Identities
Why COOs should push AI adoption
Greg argues AI adoption is no longer optional. Companies must encourage teams to improve productivity and efficiency using AI.
The rise of synthetic identities
AI agents, bots, APIs, and service accounts are becoming new actors inside companies that require identity governance.
Bots may soon outnumber employees
Organizations will soon manage more machine identities than human ones.
AI as a potential insider threat
AI systems can become security risks if they are granted excessive permissions or misinterpret policies.
The API key governance problem
Many AI integrations rely on API keys, which are often poorly managed and can create hidden security risks.
Key Takeaway
As companies adopt AI, identity access management becomes the control layer that determines what both humans and machines are allowed to do inside the organization.
The companies that manage identity well will move faster and operate more securely.
Links
Michael on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/michael-koenig514
Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorykeller/
JumpCloud: https://jumpcloud.com/
Between Two COO’s: https://betweentwocoos.com
Episode Link: https://betweentwocoos.com/ai-agents-identity-access-greg-keller
