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Cisco donates AGNTCY to Linux Foundation: Internet of Agents on its way?
ai-agents

Cisco donates AGNTCY to Linux Foundation: Internet of Agents on its way?

Cisco donates its AGNTCY framework to the Linux Foundation, enabling collaborative AI agents to communicate and work together seamlessly.

July 30, 2025
5 min read
Sander Almekinders

Cisco donates its AGNTCY framework to the Linux Foundation, enabling collaborative AI agents to communicate and work together seamlessly.

Cisco Donates AGNTCY to Linux Foundation: What Does It Mean for the Internet of Agents?

AI agents are emerging rapidly, but ensuring they work together effectively is a challenge. AGNTCY, developed by Cisco’s incubator Outshift, aims to address this by providing a collaborative framework for AI agents. Previously open source, Cisco has now donated the entire AGNTCY stack to the Linux Foundation to foster broader community development under a neutral umbrella. The core idea behind AGNTCY is that while a single AI agent can perform specific tasks well, the real power lies in enabling multiple agents to collaborate. This requires seamless communication and data access between agents. The Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocol facilitates communication, while Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers provide AI models and agents access to the right data.

What is AGNTCY?

AGNTCY is an open-source framework designed to manage the complexities of a collaborative system of AI agents. It addresses challenges such as finding the right agents for tasks, coordinating their interaction, and managing their identities. Vijoy Pandey, SVP/GM of Outshift, describes AGNTCY as an "open-source, open-spec manifestation of the Internet of Agents."

Key Components of AGNTCY

  • Agent Discovery: Functions like a DNS for agents, allowing them to find and understand each other's capabilities to form effective workflows.
  • Agent Identity: Assigns task-based identities to agents, restricting them to only perform authorized tasks.
  • Agent Messaging: Uses Secure Low-latency Interactive Messaging (SLIM) to enable secure, quantum-safe, low-latency communication across diverse data types between agents, people, and tools.
  • Agent Observability: Provides insight and visibility across complex agent workflows.
  • Protocol Integration: Ensures compatibility with A2A and MCP protocols.
  • By donating AGNTCY to the Linux Foundation, Cisco aims to leverage the neutral platform’s ability to grow the project into an industry standard, similar to Kubernetes and PyTorch, which also started as vendor-led projects.

    Industry Support and Future Outlook

    The initiative has attracted significant interest. Founding members at the Linux Foundation include Cisco, Dell Technologies, Galileo, Google Cloud, Oracle, and Red Hat, with over 75 members contributing to AGNTCY. This broad collaboration is essential to develop a robust framework that transcends any single company’s expertise. Cisco remains committed to AGNTCY’s development, with Outshift’s working groups continuing their efforts unabated, as noted by Vijoy Pandey in a recent blog post.
    Read also: After AIOps, now there is AgenticOps: what is it and what can you do with it?
    Source: Originally published at Techzine on July 30, 2025.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    Q: What is AGNTCY and why is it significant? A: AGNTCY is an open-source framework developed by Cisco's Outshift incubator that facilitates the collaboration and interoperability of AI agents. Its donation to the Linux Foundation aims to establish it as an industry standard for the "Internet of Agents." Q: What are the key components of the AGNTCY framework? A: The key components include Agent Discovery, Agent Identity, Agent Messaging (using SLIM for secure, low-latency communication), Agent Observability, and Protocol Integration (for A2A and MCP). Q: What is the "Internet of Agents"? A: The "Internet of Agents" refers to a future where multiple AI agents can seamlessly communicate, collaborate, and work together to achieve complex tasks, much like devices on the current internet. Q: Which companies are supporting the AGNTCY initiative? A: Founding members at the Linux Foundation include Cisco, Dell Technologies, Galileo, Google Cloud, Oracle, and Red Hat, with over 75 contributing members, indicating broad industry support. Q: What is the role of the Linux Foundation in this donation? A: The Linux Foundation provides a neutral, community-driven platform to foster the development of AGNTCY, aiming to elevate it to an industry standard akin to other successful open-source projects like Kubernetes and PyTorch.

    Crypto Market AI's Take

    The donation of AGNTCY to the Linux Foundation marks a significant step towards a more interconnected and capable AI ecosystem. This move towards open standards is crucial for the advancement of AI agents, particularly in complex domains like finance and trading. Our platform leverages AI agents for advanced market analysis and automated trading strategies, and the development of robust, interoperable agent frameworks like AGNTCY is foundational to building more sophisticated and reliable financial tools. As AI agents become more sophisticated, the ability for them to securely and efficiently communicate, as enabled by protocols like SLIM, will be paramount in managing the intricacies of the cryptocurrency market.

    More to Read:

  • AI Agents: Capabilities, Risks, and Growing Role
  • What is AgenticOps?
  • AI-Driven Crypto Trading Tools Reshape Market Strategies in 2025