Straight from the EIC Non-Human & AI Identity Pavilion and Workshop, Eleanor Merrit, President of Arcon, takes the hot seat — tackling 10 rapid-fire questions on NHI security, identity governance, and the blind spots organisations can no longer afford.
Listen to how Eleanor responded to the questions below:
When did you personally realise NHI was a top-tier security risk?
Eleanor traces the moment Non-Human Identity shifted from background noise to a boardroom-level threat — and what that turning point reveals about where most organisations still are today.
Are we making the same mistakes with AI agents that we made with NHIs?
A sharp look at whether history is repeating itself as autonomous agents get deployed faster than governance can follow.
Do you personally use AI agents yourself?
Eleanor reflects on first-hand experience with agentic AI and what it reveals about the security challenges practitioners face.
Is IAM for AI more important than AI for IAM?
The conversation positions identity as the foundational control layer for AI systems — not just something to optimise with AI tooling.
Do AI agents behave more like employees or software?
Eleanor unpacks why the answer to this question determines how you govern, audit, and revoke access for autonomous identities.
Does PAM change dramatically with the introduction of AI agents?
A forward-looking discussion on how privileged access management must evolve as agents operate with elevated permissions outside traditional oversight.
Is it truly possible to govern and manage AI identities and AI agents?
Eleanor confronts one of the hardest questions in the space — whether meaningful governance of autonomous agents is achievable at all.
Will AI agents need background checks like humans?
A look at what vetting and accountability could — and should — look like for non-human digital workers.
Are organisations putting time-to-market ahead of security controls for agents?
The tension between deployment speed and security maturity, and what it costs when security loses that race.
Will the AI agent digital workforce lead to mass unemployment?
Eleanor separates hype from reality, focusing on how roles are more likely to transform than simply disappear.
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