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Okta sees demand for AI agent identity as security needs grow
Okta reported fiscal second-quarter revenue of $805 million, up 11%, and raised its yearly outlook as autonomous AI agents increase identity and access requirements.
Okta said its AI push is creating a new security challenge for businesses, because autonomous agents need trusted identities, clear access controls, and audit trails to operate safely. Yahoo Finance notes that as AI agents can read emails, update customer records, query databases, and trigger processes, a compromised agent can cause outsized damage if its permissions are not tightly governed.
In its fiscal second-quarter results, Okta reported revenue of $805 million, up 11%, and subscription revenue of $793 million, up 12%. The company also said remaining performance obligations rose 17% to nearly $4.86 billion.
Okta linked the demand to a fast-growing need to manage “machine identities” for AI systems, citing a CyberArk study where 79% of firms anticipate machine identities will grow in the coming year. The article also points to Verizon 2026 breach research that found shadow AI usage had risen to 45%, heightening the risk of data loss.
To address the shift, Okta said it released Okta for AI Agents earlier this year, now generally available, with tools intended to enforce least-privilege access and centrally manage what AI agents can do. The company said its approach is designed to help organizations govern agents that may take multiple steps across systems, from CRM updates to issuing refunds and sending replies.