# Gap Analysis: IETF AI/Agent Draft Landscape
*Generated 2026-03-03 19:58 UTC — analyzing 361 drafts, 1780 technical ideas*

## Overview

This report identifies **12 gaps** — areas, problems, or technical challenges not adequately addressed by the current 361 IETF AI/agent drafts. Each gap is cross-referenced with related drafts and extracted technical ideas to show partial coverage.

| Severity | Count |
|----------|------:|
| **CRITICAL** | 3 |
| **HIGH** | 6 |
| **MEDIUM** | 3 |

### Safety Deficit

Only **44** of 361 drafts address AI safety/alignment, while **120** focus on A2A protocols and **93** on autonomous operations. The ratio of capability-building to safety is roughly **4:1**.

---

## 1. Agent Behavior Verification

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | CRITICAL |
| **Category** | AI safety/alignment |
| **Drafts in category** | 44 |

While many drafts address agent identity and authentication, few tackle how to verify that an agent is actually behaving according to its declared capabilities and policies. There's a critical gap in runtime behavioral attestation and compliance monitoring mechanisms.

**Evidence:** High overlap in identity/auth (108 drafts) but only 44 drafts on safety/alignment, with no specific focus on behavioral verification

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite
- [draft-zheng-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.7) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.3) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework/) (score 3.0) — Agent Communication Framework for Network AIOps
- [draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework/) (score 3.6) — Framework for AI Agent Networks
- [draft-ruan-spring-priority-flow-control-sid](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ruan-spring-priority-flow-control-sid/) (score 3.1) — SRv6 behavior extention for Flow Control in WAN

**Top-rated in AI safety/alignment** (44 drafts):

- [draft-cowles-volt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cowles-volt/) (4.8) — Defines tamper-evident execution trace format for AI agent workflows using hash chains and cryptogra
- [draft-aylward-daap-v2](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-aylward-daap-v2/) (4.8) — Defines comprehensive protocol for AI agent accountability including authentication, monitoring, and
- [draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol/) (4.6) — Defines STAMP protocol for cryptographic delegation and proof in AI agent systems. Provides task-bou
- [draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation/) (4.6) — Defines hardware attestation for email using TPM verification chains to prevent spam and provide Syb
- [draft-goswami-agentic-jwt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-goswami-agentic-jwt/) (4.5) — Extends OAuth 2.0 with Agentic JWT to address authorization challenges in autonomous AI systems. Int

### Partially Addressing Ideas

53 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Verifiable Agent Behavior Attestation | draft-birkholz-verifiable-agent-conversations | requirement |
| Behavioral Trustworthiness Assessment | draft-chen-agent-decoupled-authorization-model | mechanism |
| Multi-Vendor TEE Attestation (M-TACE) | draft-aylward-aiga-1 | mechanism |
| Multi-Vendor TEE Attestation (M-TACE) | draft-aylward-aiga-2 | mechanism |
| Cryptographic Identity Verification | draft-aylward-daap-v2 | mechanism |
| Behavioral Monitoring Framework | draft-aylward-daap-v2 | mechanism |
| Post-Discovery Authorization Handshake | draft-barney-caam | protocol |
| Five Enforcement Pillars with Typed Schemas | draft-berlinai-vera | pattern |

*...and 45 more*

---

## 2. Cross-Domain Agent Liability

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | CRITICAL |
| **Category** | Policy/governance |
| **Drafts in category** | 91 |

When autonomous agents operate across organizational boundaries and cause harm or make decisions with legal implications, there's no standardized framework for liability attribution. The policy/governance drafts don't address cross-jurisdictional legal accountability.

**Evidence:** 91 policy/governance drafts but legal liability for cross-domain autonomous actions remains unaddressed

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-diaconu-agents-authz-info-sharing](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-diaconu-agents-authz-info-sharing/) (score 3.2) — Cross-Domain AuthZ Information sharing for Agents
- [draft-cui-dmsc-agent-cdi](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cui-dmsc-agent-cdi/) (score 3.0) — Cross-Domain Interoperability Framework for AI Agent Collaboration
- [draft-han-rtgwg-agent-gateway-intercomm-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-han-rtgwg-agent-gateway-intercomm-framework/) (score 3.6) — Agent Gateway Intercommunication Framework
- [draft-ni-a2a-ai-agent-security-requirements](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ni-a2a-ai-agent-security-requirements/) (score 3.7) — Security Requirements for AI Agents
- [draft-intellinode-ai-semantic-contract](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-intellinode-ai-semantic-contract/) (score 3.2) — Semantic-Driven Traffic Shaping Contract for AI Networks
- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite

**Top-rated in Policy/governance** (91 drafts):

- [draft-cowles-volt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cowles-volt/) (4.8) — Defines tamper-evident execution trace format for AI agent workflows using hash chains and cryptogra
- [draft-aylward-daap-v2](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-aylward-daap-v2/) (4.8) — Defines comprehensive protocol for AI agent accountability including authentication, monitoring, and
- [draft-goswami-agentic-jwt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-goswami-agentic-jwt/) (4.5) — Extends OAuth 2.0 with Agentic JWT to address authorization challenges in autonomous AI systems. Int
- [draft-wang-cats-odsi](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-wang-cats-odsi/) (4.5) — Specifies framework for decentralized LLM inference across untrusted participants with layer-aware e
- [draft-birkholz-verifiable-agent-conversations](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-birkholz-verifiable-agent-conversations/) (4.5) — Defines CDDL-based data format for verifiable agent conversation records using COSE signing. Support

### Partially Addressing Ideas

26 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Cross-Domain Agent Identity Management | draft-abbey-scim-agent-extension | protocol |
| Multi-level Inference Protocol | draft-chuyi-nmrg-agentic-network-inference | protocol |
| Cross-Domain Agent Coordination | draft-chuyi-nmrg-agentic-network-inference | mechanism |
| Cross-Domain Agent Discovery | draft-cui-dmsc-agent-cdi | mechanism |
| Federated Agent Identity Framework | draft-cui-dmsc-agent-cdi | architecture |
| Agent Capability Negotiation Protocol | draft-cui-dmsc-agent-cdi | protocol |
| Federated Policy Enforcement | draft-cui-dmsc-agent-cdi | architecture |
| Cross-Domain Authorization Information Sharing | draft-diaconu-agents-authz-info-sharing | mechanism |

*...and 18 more*

---

## 3. Human Override Protocols

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | CRITICAL |
| **Category** | Human-agent interaction |
| **Drafts in category** | 30 |

Critical gap in standardized protocols for humans to safely interrupt, override, or take control of autonomous agents in emergency situations. Only 30 drafts address human-agent interaction, with no focus on emergency takeover procedures.

**Evidence:** Only 30 human-agent interaction drafts compared to 213+ autonomous operation drafts, with no emergency override standards

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-dhir-http-agent-profile](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-dhir-http-agent-profile/) (score 4.2) — HTTP Agent Profile (HAP): Authenticated and Monetized Agent Traffic on the Web
- [draft-irtf-nmrg-llm-nm](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-irtf-nmrg-llm-nm/) (score 3.5) — A Framework for LLM-Assisted Network Management with Human-in-the-Loop
- [draft-cui-nmrg-llm-nm](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cui-nmrg-llm-nm/) (score 4.1) — A Framework for LLM Agent-Assisted Network Management with Human-in-the-Loop
- [draft-zeng-opsawg-applicability-mcp-a2a](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zeng-opsawg-applicability-mcp-a2a/) (score 3.5) — When NETCONF Is Not Enough: Applicability of MCP and A2A for Advanced Network Ma
- [draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch/) (score 4.2) — Network Digital Twin and Agentic AI based Architecture for AI driven Network Ope
- [draft-ietf-suit-firmware-encryption](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-suit-firmware-encryption/) (score 3.7) — Encrypted Payloads in SUIT Manifests

**Top-rated in Human-agent interaction** (30 drafts):

- [draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation/) (4.6) — Defines hardware attestation for email using TPM verification chains to prevent spam and provide Syb
- [draft-ietf-aipref-vocab](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-aipref-vocab/) (4.4) — Defines a standardized vocabulary for expressing preferences about how digital assets should be used
- [draft-dhir-http-agent-profile](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-dhir-http-agent-profile/) (4.2) — Defines HTTP Agent Profile for authenticating agent traffic, separating human from agent traffic, an
- [draft-song-tsvwg-camp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-song-tsvwg-camp/) (4.2) — Proposes CAMP, a multipath transport protocol for interactive multimodal LLM systems that maintains 
- [draft-liu-agent-operation-authorization](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-liu-agent-operation-authorization/) (4.1) — Specifies framework for verifiable delegation of actions from humans to AI agents using JWT tokens. 

### Partially Addressing Ideas

7 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| LLM-Human Collaborative Framework | draft-irtf-nmrg-llm-nm | architecture |
| CHEQ Protocol | draft-rosenberg-aiproto-cheq | protocol |
| Signed Confirmation Objects | draft-rosenberg-aiproto-cheq | mechanism |
| Cross-Protocol Integration Pattern | draft-rosenberg-aiproto-cheq | pattern |
| CHEQ Protocol | draft-rosenberg-cheq | protocol |
| Signed Decision Objects | draft-rosenberg-cheq | mechanism |
| Protocol Integration Pattern | draft-rosenberg-cheq | pattern |

---

## 4. Agent Resource Exhaustion Protection

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | HIGH |
| **Category** | Autonomous netops |
| **Drafts in category** | 93 |

Missing standardized mechanisms to prevent malicious or poorly designed agents from consuming excessive network, compute, or storage resources. Current drafts focus on traffic management but not on agent-specific resource quotas and enforcement.

**Evidence:** 93 autonomous netops drafts and 73 ML traffic management drafts lack agent-specific resource protection mechanisms

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite
- [draft-zheng-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.7) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.3) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework/) (score 3.0) — Agent Communication Framework for Network AIOps
- [draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework/) (score 3.6) — Framework for AI Agent Networks
- [draft-jia-oauth-scope-aggregation](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-jia-oauth-scope-aggregation/) (score 3.5) — OAuth 2.0 Scope Aggregation for Multi-Step AI Agent Workflows

**Top-rated in Autonomous netops** (93 drafts):

- [draft-cui-nmrg-llm-benchmark](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cui-nmrg-llm-benchmark/) (4.3) — Provides comprehensive evaluation framework for LLM-based network configuration agents. Includes emu
- [draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch/) (4.2) — Comprehensive architecture combining Network Digital Twin with Agentic AI for intent-based network o
- [draft-yue-anima-agent-recovery-networks](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-yue-anima-agent-recovery-networks/) (4.1) — Defines task-oriented multi-agent framework for fault recovery in converged mobile networks. Targets
- [draft-cui-nmrg-llm-nm](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cui-nmrg-llm-nm/) (4.1) — Defines framework for collaborative network management between LLM agents and human operators. Intro
- [draft-jadoon-nmrg-agentic-ai-autonomous-networks](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-jadoon-nmrg-agentic-ai-autonomous-networks/) (4.1) — Introduces architectural principles for integrating AI agents into IP protocol stack layers while pr

### Partially Addressing Ideas

40 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Agent Resource Type | draft-abbey-scim-agent-extension | extension |
| Agentic Application Resource Type | draft-abbey-scim-agent-extension | extension |
| Collaborative Inference Acceleration (KDN) | draft-agent-gw | mechanism |
| Data and Agent Aware-Inference and Training Network (DA-ITN) | draft-akhavain-moussa-ai-network | architecture |
| Agent-to-Agent (A2A) Communication Paradigm | draft-an-nmrg-i2icf-cits | protocol |
| Network-Level Quarantine Protocol | draft-aylward-aiga-1 | protocol |
| Agent Task Negotiation | draft-cui-ai-agent-task | protocol |
| Multi-Agent Security Protection | draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework | mechanism |

*...and 32 more*

---

## 5. Agent-Generated Data Provenance

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | HIGH |
| **Category** | Data formats/interop |
| **Drafts in category** | 145 |

While 145 drafts address data formats for AI interop, there's insufficient attention to tracking the provenance and lineage of data generated by agents. This creates trust and auditability issues in agent-to-agent data exchanges.

**Evidence:** 145 data format drafts with high overlap but no clear standards for agent-generated data provenance tracking

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-romanchuk-normative-admissibility](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-romanchuk-normative-admissibility/) (score 3.4) — Normative Admissibility Framework for Agent Speech Acts
- [draft-li-semantic-routing-architecture](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-semantic-routing-architecture/) (score 3.6) — Semantic Routing Architecture for AI Agents Communication
- [draft-cui-nmrg-llm-nm](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cui-nmrg-llm-nm/) (score 4.1) — A Framework for LLM Agent-Assisted Network Management with Human-in-the-Loop
- [draft-mpsb-agntcy-messaging](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-mpsb-agntcy-messaging/) (score 2.6) — An Overview of Messaging Systems and Their Applicability to Agentic AI
- [draft-gaikwad-south-authorization](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-gaikwad-south-authorization/) (score 3.7) — SOUTH: Stochastic Authorization for Agent and Service Requests
- [draft-abaris-aicdh](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-abaris-aicdh/) (score 2.8) — AI Content Disclosure Header

**Top-rated in Data formats/interop** (145 drafts):

- [draft-cowles-volt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cowles-volt/) (4.8) — Defines tamper-evident execution trace format for AI agent workflows using hash chains and cryptogra
- [draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology/) (4.6) — Defines YANG data model for hierarchical language model coordination across tiny, small, and large L
- [draft-ietf-lake-app-profiles](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-lake-app-profiles/) (4.6) — Defines canonical CBOR representation for EDHOC application profiles and coordination mechanisms for
- [draft-chang-agent-token-efficient](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-chang-agent-token-efficient/) (4.5) — Defines ADOL (Agentic Data Optimization Layer) to address token bloat in agent communication protoco
- [draft-birkholz-verifiable-agent-conversations](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-birkholz-verifiable-agent-conversations/) (4.5) — Defines CDDL-based data format for verifiable agent conversation records using COSE signing. Support

### Partially Addressing Ideas

4 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Context-Enhanced Training Data | draft-improving-data-quality-tags | extension |
| Training Data Provenance Claims | draft-messous-eat-ai | mechanism |
| Sentinel Evidence Package | draft-reilly-sentinel-protocol | architecture |
| AI Lifecycle Provenance Tracking | draft-reilly-sentinel-protocol | architecture |

---

## 6. Agent Capability Degradation Handling

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | HIGH |
| **Category** | AI safety/alignment |
| **Drafts in category** | 44 |

No standardized approaches for detecting and handling when an agent's capabilities degrade due to model drift, data corruption, or hardware issues. Systems need graceful degradation protocols rather than silent failures.

**Evidence:** Only 44 safety/alignment drafts don't address capability degradation, while 213+ drafts assume stable agent performance

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite
- [draft-zheng-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.7) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.3) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework/) (score 3.0) — Agent Communication Framework for Network AIOps
- [draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework/) (score 3.6) — Framework for AI Agent Networks
- [draft-li-dmsc-inf-architecture](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-inf-architecture/) (score 3.1) — Dynamic Multi-agent Secured Collaboration Infrastructure Architecture

**Top-rated in AI safety/alignment** (44 drafts):

- [draft-cowles-volt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cowles-volt/) (4.8) — Defines tamper-evident execution trace format for AI agent workflows using hash chains and cryptogra
- [draft-aylward-daap-v2](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-aylward-daap-v2/) (4.8) — Defines comprehensive protocol for AI agent accountability including authentication, monitoring, and
- [draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol/) (4.6) — Defines STAMP protocol for cryptographic delegation and proof in AI agent systems. Provides task-bou
- [draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation/) (4.6) — Defines hardware attestation for email using TPM verification chains to prevent spam and provide Syb
- [draft-goswami-agentic-jwt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-goswami-agentic-jwt/) (4.5) — Extends OAuth 2.0 with Agentic JWT to address authorization challenges in autonomous AI systems. Int

### Partially Addressing Ideas

45 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Semantic Routing | draft-agent-gw | mechanism |
| Semantic Routing | draft-ainp-protocol | mechanism |
| Capability-based Discovery | draft-ainp-protocol | pattern |
| Complex Delegation Relationship Management | draft-chen-ai-agent-auth-new-requirements | architecture |
| Capability-Based Discovery Mechanism | draft-cui-ai-agent-discovery-invocation | mechanism |
| Agent Capability Negotiation Protocol | draft-cui-dmsc-agent-cdi | protocol |
| Agent Capability-Based Routing | draft-du-catalist-routing-considerations | mechanism |
| Agent Monitoring and Tracking | draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework | mechanism |

*...and 37 more*

---

## 7. Multi-Agent Coordination Deadlocks

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | HIGH |
| **Category** | A2A protocols |
| **Drafts in category** | 120 |

With 120+ A2A protocol drafts, there's insufficient attention to preventing deadlock situations where multiple agents create circular dependencies or resource conflicts. Missing are standardized deadlock detection and resolution mechanisms.

**Evidence:** 120 A2A protocol drafts with high internal overlap but no systematic deadlock prevention frameworks

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-li-dmsc-mcps-agw](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-mcps-agw/) (score 3.5) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite based on Agent Gateway
- [draft-li-dmsc-inf-architecture](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-inf-architecture/) (score 3.1) — Dynamic Multi-agent Secured Collaboration Infrastructure Architecture
- [draft-yue-anima-agent-recovery-networks](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-yue-anima-agent-recovery-networks/) (score 4.1) — Task-Oriented Multi-Agent Recovery Framework for High-Reliability in Converged M
- [draft-chang-agent-context-interaction](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-chang-agent-context-interaction/) (score 2.9) — Agent Context Interaction Optimizations
- [draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework/) (score 3.0) — Agent Communication Framework for Network AIOps
- [draft-cui-ai-agent-task](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cui-ai-agent-task/) (score 3.0) — Task-oriented Coordination Requirements for AI Agent Protocols

**Top-rated in A2A protocols** (120 drafts):

- [draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol/) (4.6) — Defines STAMP protocol for cryptographic delegation and proof in AI agent systems. Provides task-bou
- [draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology/) (4.6) — Defines YANG data model for hierarchical language model coordination across tiny, small, and large L
- [draft-chang-agent-token-efficient](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-chang-agent-token-efficient/) (4.5) — Defines ADOL (Agentic Data Optimization Layer) to address token bloat in agent communication protoco
- [draft-chen-oauth-rar-agent-extensions](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-chen-oauth-rar-agent-extensions/) (4.2) — Extends OAuth RAR with policy_context and lifecycle_binding members for AI agent environments. Enabl
- [draft-mallick-muacp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-mallick-muacp/) (4.2) — Resource-efficient messaging protocol specifically designed for constrained IoT/Edge devices with de

### Partially Addressing Ideas

11 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Multi-Agent Task Coordination | draft-du-ai-agent-communication-6g-aspect | mechanism |
| AI Gateway | draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework | architecture |
| DMSC Infrastructure Architecture | draft-li-dmsc-inf-architecture | architecture |
| Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite | draft-li-dmsc-macp | protocol |
| Task-based Multi-Agent Coordination | draft-li-dmsc-mcps-agw | pattern |
| Cognitive Networking Substrate | draft-li-semantic-routing-architecture | architecture |
| Agent Communication Use Cases | draft-stephan-ai-agent-6g | pattern |
| Structured Responsibility and Traceability Architecture (SRTA) | draft-takagi-srta-trinity | architecture |

*...and 3 more*

---

## 8. Agent Privacy Preservation

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | HIGH |
| **Category** | Agent identity/auth |
| **Drafts in category** | 108 |

Agents often process sensitive data but current drafts don't adequately address privacy-preserving computation, differential privacy, or secure multi-party computation for agent interactions. This is critical for deployment in regulated industries.

**Evidence:** 108 identity/auth drafts focus on authentication but lack privacy preservation mechanisms for agent data processing

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite
- [draft-zheng-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.7) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.3) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework/) (score 3.0) — Agent Communication Framework for Network AIOps
- [draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework/) (score 3.6) — Framework for AI Agent Networks
- [draft-kale-agntcy-federated-privacy](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-kale-agntcy-federated-privacy/) (score 3.2) — Privacy-Preserving Federated Learning Architecture for Multi-Tenant AI Agent Sys

**Top-rated in Agent identity/auth** (108 drafts):

- [draft-cowles-volt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cowles-volt/) (4.8) — Defines tamper-evident execution trace format for AI agent workflows using hash chains and cryptogra
- [draft-aylward-daap-v2](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-aylward-daap-v2/) (4.8) — Defines comprehensive protocol for AI agent accountability including authentication, monitoring, and
- [draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol/) (4.6) — Defines STAMP protocol for cryptographic delegation and proof in AI agent systems. Provides task-bou
- [draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation/) (4.6) — Defines hardware attestation for email using TPM verification chains to prevent spam and provide Syb
- [draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology/) (4.6) — Defines YANG data model for hierarchical language model coordination across tiny, small, and large L

### Partially Addressing Ideas

11 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Agent Card Structure | draft-nandakumar-agent-sd-jwt | protocol |
| Pseudonymous Key Generation | draft-bradleylundberg-cfrg-arkg | mechanism |
| Privacy-Preserving Human Tokens | draft-dhir-http-agent-profile | mechanism |
| Cryptographic Erasure Compliance | draft-gaikwad-aps-profile | mechanism |
| Privacy-Respecting Capability Attestation | draft-huang-rats-agentic-eat-cap-attest | pattern |
| Differential Privacy for Agent Models | draft-kale-agntcy-federated-privacy | mechanism |
| Agent Identity Preservation | draft-liu-oauth-a2a-profile | pattern |
| Inference-Time Data Access Policy Claims | draft-messous-eat-ai | mechanism |

*...and 3 more*

---

## 9. Agent Firmware/Model Update Security

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | HIGH |
| **Category** | Model serving/inference |
| **Drafts in category** | 42 |

While model serving is addressed in 42 drafts, there's insufficient focus on secure update mechanisms for agent models and firmware. Missing are standards for cryptographically verified, rollback-capable agent updates.

**Evidence:** 42 model serving drafts but no comprehensive security standards for agent software/model updates

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite
- [draft-zheng-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.7) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.3) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework/) (score 3.0) — Agent Communication Framework for Network AIOps
- [draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework/) (score 3.6) — Framework for AI Agent Networks
- [draft-ietf-tls-extended-key-update](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-tls-extended-key-update/) (score 4.2) — Extended Key Update for Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3

**Top-rated in Model serving/inference** (42 drafts):

- [draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology/) (4.6) — Defines YANG data model for hierarchical language model coordination across tiny, small, and large L
- [draft-chang-agent-token-efficient](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-chang-agent-token-efficient/) (4.5) — Defines ADOL (Agentic Data Optimization Layer) to address token bloat in agent communication protoco
- [draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-inference-bench](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-inference-bench/) (4.5) — Defines benchmarking methodology for AI inference network fabrics. Establishes KPIs and test procedu
- [draft-wang-cats-odsi](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-wang-cats-odsi/) (4.5) — Specifies framework for decentralized LLM inference across untrusted participants with layer-aware e
- [draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch/) (4.2) — Comprehensive architecture combining Network Digital Twin with Agentic AI for intent-based network o

### Partially Addressing Ideas

79 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Multi-layered Security Architecture | draft-aylward-daap-v2 | architecture |
| VERA Zero Trust Reference Architecture | draft-berlinai-vera | architecture |
| Evidence-Based Maturity Runtime | draft-berlinai-vera | mechanism |
| Five Enforcement Pillars with Typed Schemas | draft-berlinai-vera | pattern |
| AI Agent Structured Threat Model | draft-berlinai-vera | requirement |
| Cryptographic Proof-Based Autonomy | draft-berlinai-vera | mechanism |
| Pseudonymous Key Generation | draft-bradleylundberg-cfrg-arkg | mechanism |
| Multi-Agent Security Protection | draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework | mechanism |

*...and 71 more*

---

## 10. Real-time Agent Debugging

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | MEDIUM |
| **Category** | Other AI/agent |
| **Drafts in category** | 26 |

Missing standardized protocols for debugging autonomous agents in production environments. When agents make unexpected decisions, there are no standard interfaces for real-time introspection without disrupting operations.

**Evidence:** 26 other AI/agent drafts suggest various approaches but no standardized debugging protocols for production agents

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-an-nmrg-i2icf-cits](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-an-nmrg-i2icf-cits/) (score 3.7) — Interface to In-Network Computing Functions for Cooperative Intelligent Transpor
- [draft-zhao-detnet-enhanced-use-cases](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zhao-detnet-enhanced-use-cases/) (score 3.2) — Enhanced Use Cases for Scaling Deterministic Networks
- [draft-zhang-rvp-problem-statement](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zhang-rvp-problem-statement/) (score 3.5) — Problem Statements and Requirements of Real-Virtual Agent Protocol (RVP): Commun
- [draft-yuan-rtgwg-traffic-agent-usecase](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-yuan-rtgwg-traffic-agent-usecase/) (score 3.7) — Use cases of the AI Network Traffic Optimization Agent
- [draft-hong-nmrg-agenticai-ps](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-hong-nmrg-agenticai-ps/) (score 3.0) — Motivations and Problem Statement of Agentic AI for network management
- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite

**Top-rated in Other AI/agent** (26 drafts):

- [draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-inference-bench](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-inference-bench/) (4.5) — Defines benchmarking methodology for AI inference network fabrics. Establishes KPIs and test procedu
- [draft-ietf-tls-ecdhe-mlkem](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-tls-ecdhe-mlkem/) (4.4) — Defines hybrid post-quantum key agreement mechanisms for TLS 1.3 that combine ML-KEM with traditiona
- [draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-wmz-nmrg-agent-ndt-arch/) (4.2) — Comprehensive architecture combining Network Digital Twin with Agentic AI for intent-based network o
- [draft-an-nmrg-i2icf-cits](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-an-nmrg-i2icf-cits/) (3.7) — Defines framework for orchestrating In-Network Computing Functions in Cooperative Intelligent Transp
- [draft-cui-nmrg-auto-test](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cui-nmrg-auto-test/) (3.6) — Framework for AI-assisted network protocol testing using LLMs and automated test generation. Defines

### Partially Addressing Ideas

23 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| A2A Protocol Transport over MOQT | draft-a2a-moqt-transport | protocol |
| QUIC-based Publish/Subscribe for AI Agents | draft-a2a-moqt-transport | mechanism |
| Streaming Capabilities Integration | draft-a2a-moqt-transport | mechanism |
| Action-Based Authorization | draft-aylward-aiga-2 | mechanism |
| Multi-layered Security Architecture | draft-aylward-daap-v2 | architecture |
| Behavioral Monitoring Framework | draft-aylward-daap-v2 | mechanism |
| Context-Aware Task Scheduling | draft-cui-ai-agent-task | mechanism |
| Real-Time Task Adaptability | draft-cui-ai-agent-task | requirement |

*...and 15 more*

---

## 11. Cross-Protocol Agent Migration

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | MEDIUM |
| **Category** | A2A protocols |
| **Drafts in category** | 120 |

No standardized mechanisms for migrating agent state and context when moving between different A2A protocols or infrastructure providers. This creates vendor lock-in and limits agent mobility.

**Evidence:** 120 A2A protocol drafts with high overlap suggest competing approaches but no migration standards between them

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-cowles-volt](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-cowles-volt/) (score 4.8) — Verifiable Operations Ledger and Trace (VOLT) Protocol
- [draft-han-ai-agent-impact-infra](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-han-ai-agent-impact-infra/) (score 2.3) — The Impact of AI Agent to Network Infrastructure
- [draft-narajala-ans](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-narajala-ans/) (score 4.2) — Agent Name Service (ANS): A Universal Directory for Secure AI Agent Discovery an
- [draft-ietf-emu-eap-edhoc](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-emu-eap-edhoc/) (score 3.2) — Using the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) with Ephemeral Diffie-Hellman
- [draft-howe-sipcore-mcp-extension](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-howe-sipcore-mcp-extension/) (score 3.7) — SIP Extension for Model Context Protocol (MCP)
- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite

**Top-rated in A2A protocols** (120 drafts):

- [draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-guy-bary-stamp-protocol/) (4.6) — Defines STAMP protocol for cryptographic delegation and proof in AI agent systems. Provides task-bou
- [draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-williams-netmod-lm-hierarchy-topology/) (4.6) — Defines YANG data model for hierarchical language model coordination across tiny, small, and large L
- [draft-chang-agent-token-efficient](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-chang-agent-token-efficient/) (4.5) — Defines ADOL (Agentic Data Optimization Layer) to address token bloat in agent communication protoco
- [draft-chen-oauth-rar-agent-extensions](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-chen-oauth-rar-agent-extensions/) (4.2) — Extends OAuth RAR with policy_context and lifecycle_binding members for AI agent environments. Enabl
- [draft-mallick-muacp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-mallick-muacp/) (4.2) — Resource-efficient messaging protocol specifically designed for constrained IoT/Edge devices with de

### Partially Addressing Ideas

3 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| Transport-Independent Attestation Format | draft-drake-email-tpm-attestation | extension |
| Cross-Protocol Integration Pattern | draft-rosenberg-aiproto-cheq | pattern |
| Agent Mobility with IPv6 MIPv6 | draft-yc-ipv6-for-ioa | mechanism |

---

## 12. Agent Energy Consumption Optimization

| | |
|---|---|
| **Severity** | MEDIUM |
| **Category** | ML traffic mgmt |
| **Drafts in category** | 73 |

Missing standards for energy-aware agent deployment and operation. As AI workloads are energy-intensive, there's no framework for agents to optimize their energy consumption or for infrastructure to enforce energy budgets.

**Evidence:** 73 ML traffic management drafts focus on performance but lack energy consumption considerations for sustainable AI deployment

### Related Drafts

**Keyword matches** (drafts mentioning gap topic):

- [draft-li-dmsc-macp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-dmsc-macp/) (score 4.2) — Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol Suite
- [draft-zheng-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.7) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zheng-dispatch-agent-identity-management/) (score 3.3) — Agent Identity Managenment
- [draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-fu-nmop-agent-communication-framework/) (score 3.0) — Agent Communication Framework for Network AIOps
- [draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-zyyhl-agent-networks-framework/) (score 3.6) — Framework for AI Agent Networks
- [draft-ahc-green-smartpdu-yang](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ahc-green-smartpdu-yang/) (score 2.9) — A YANG Model for SmartPDU Monitoring and Control

**Top-rated in ML traffic mgmt** (73 drafts):

- [draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-inference-bench](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-inference-bench/) (4.5) — Defines benchmarking methodology for AI inference network fabrics. Establishes KPIs and test procedu
- [draft-dhir-http-agent-profile](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-dhir-http-agent-profile/) (4.2) — Defines HTTP Agent Profile for authenticating agent traffic, separating human from agent traffic, an
- [draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-terminology](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-calabria-bmwg-ai-fabric-terminology/) (4.2) — Defines comprehensive benchmarking terminology for AI network fabrics including collective communica
- [draft-li-spring-rdma-multicast-over-srv6](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-li-spring-rdma-multicast-over-srv6/) (4.2) — Specifies SRv6 extensions for RDMA multicast delivery with new End.MT behavior and ACK/NACK aggregat
- [draft-song-tsvwg-camp](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-song-tsvwg-camp/) (4.2) — Proposes CAMP, a multipath transport protocol for interactive multimodal LLM systems that maintains 

### Partially Addressing Ideas

17 extracted ideas touch on this gap:

| Idea | Draft | Type |
|------|-------|------|
| SmartPDU Telemetry Framework | draft-ahc-green-smartpdu-yang | mechanism |
| Agent Context Distribution | draft-chang-agent-context-interaction | mechanism |
| Context Distribution Optimization Procedures | draft-chang-agent-context-interaction | protocol |
| Schema Deduplication via JSON References | draft-chang-agent-token-efficient | mechanism |
| Agentic Data Optimization Layer (ADOL) | draft-chang-agent-token-efficient | architecture |
| Information Exchange Efficiency | draft-chuyi-nmrg-agentic-network-inference | mechanism |
| Vector Index Workload Optimization | draft-gaikwad-aps-profile | pattern |
| Collaboration Tunnel Protocol (TCT) | draft-jurkovikj-collab-tunnel | protocol |

*...and 9 more*

---

## Cross-Cutting Analysis

### Gaps by Category

| Category | Drafts | Gaps | Gap Topics |
|----------|-------:|-----:|------------|
| a2a protocols | 120 | 2 | Multi-Agent Coordination Deadlocks; Cross-Protocol Agent Migration |
| agent identity/auth | 108 | 1 | Agent Privacy Preservation |
| ai safety/alignment | 44 | 2 | Agent Behavior Verification; Agent Capability Degradation Handling |
| autonomous netops | 93 | 1 | Agent Resource Exhaustion Protection |
| data formats/interop | 145 | 1 | Agent-Generated Data Provenance |
| human-agent interaction | 30 | 1 | Human Override Protocols |
| ml traffic mgmt | 73 | 1 | Agent Energy Consumption Optimization |
| model serving/inference | 42 | 1 | Agent Firmware/Model Update Security |
| other ai/agent | 26 | 1 | Real-time Agent Debugging |
| policy/governance | 91 | 1 | Cross-Domain Agent Liability |

## Recommendations

Based on the gap analysis, the highest-impact areas for new standardization work:

1. **Runtime behavior verification** — The most critical safety gap. Agents declare policies but nothing validates compliance at runtime.
2. **Error recovery and rollback** — Autonomous operations need standardized failure handling before real deployment at scale.
3. **Protocol interoperability layer** — 92 competing A2A protocols need a translation/negotiation framework to avoid fragmentation.
4. **Dynamic trust systems** — Static certificates cannot scale to long-running agent ecosystems. Trust must be earned and revocable.
5. **Human emergency override** — The 7:1 ratio of autonomous capability to human oversight drafts is concerning for production deployments.