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Agent registry

By Updated

The runtime-aware inventory of every non-human actor (model, service and agent), each with an owner, a declared scope, a status and a kill switch, fed by a runtime data path rather than typed by hand. It is the artefact that answers "what AI is running?".

Developed in
ch. 23, The agent registry
ch. 05, Pattern: Agent Registry
Chapters
ch. 04, The Stack · ch. 05, Patterns · ch. 06, The Role · ch. 23, AI Agents
In the open reference
Frontier labs and evaluators · The agent registry in chapter 23
Source
Defined by this Body of Knowledge: the section it is developed in is the source

Where it is used

15 chapters of the Body of Knowledge use the term. Each link opens the first section that does.

Agent registry: mentions per chapter33 mentions of the term across 15 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Cross-referenced chapterOther chapter00 Preface: 2 mentions00 Preface201 Definition: 3 mentions01 Definition303 Values & Principles: 1 mention03 Values & Principles104 The Stack: 2 mentions04 The Stack205 Patterns: 2 mentions05 Patterns206 The Role: 3 mentions06 The Role307 Maturity Model: 1 mention07 Maturity Model108 Regulatory Map: 4 mentions08 Regulatory Map411 AI Defined: 6 mentions11 AI Defined614 Development: 1 mention14 Development115 Deployment: 1 mention15 Deployment117 Incidents: 1 mention17 Incidents118 EU AI Act: 1 mention18 EU AI Act121 AI Laws Worldwide: 1 mention21 AI Laws Worldwide123 AI Agents: 4 mentions23 AI Agents4No mentions in the other 8 chaptersSource: the Body of Knowledgev0.5.0
Agent registry: mentions per chapter33 mentions of the term across 15 of the 23 chapters of the Body of Knowledge; the chapters the glossary cross-references are drawn solid.Cross-referenced chapterOther chapter00 Preface: 2 mentions20001 Definition: 3 mentions3010203 Values & Principles: 1 mention10304 The Stack: 2 mentions20405 Patterns: 2 mentions20506 The Role: 3 mentions30607 Maturity Model: 1 mention10708 Regulatory Map: 4 mentions4081011 AI Defined: 6 mentions611121314 Development: 1 mention11415 Deployment: 1 mention1151617 Incidents: 1 mention11718 EU AI Act: 1 mention118192021 AI Laws Worldwide: 1 mention1212223 AI Agents: 4 mentions423Source: the Body of Knowledge v0.5.0
Mentions per chapter How often each chapter names the term, with the chapters the glossary cross-references drawn solid. The longest bar is where to read the term in use; bars spread across many chapters mark a term that runs through the discipline.
Mentions as a table
Mentions of Agent registry per chapter
ChapterMentionsCross-referenced
00 Preface2No
01 Definition3No
02 Why Now0No
03 Values & Principles1No
04 The Stack2Yes
05 Patterns2Yes
06 The Role3Yes
07 Maturity Model1No
08 Regulatory Map4No
10 Reading List0No
11 AI Defined6No
12 Governance Program0No
13 Risk Management0No
14 Development1No
15 Deployment1No
16 Fairness & XAI0No
17 Incidents1No
18 EU AI Act1No
19 Privacy & AI0No
20 Existing Law0No
21 AI Laws Worldwide1No
22 Principles & Standards0No
23 AI Agents4Yes

Patterns that use this term

10 pattern pages use the term, most mentions first.

Agent registry: related terms and patternsThe term at the centre; related terms on solid edges, the terms it is contrasted with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer.RelatedColour: stack layer of the pattern02 Inventory04 Runtime ControlsAgent registryRelated terms (2)Kill switch · RelatedKill switchRuntime data path · RelatedRuntime data pathPatterns using it most (6)AIBOM, 1 mention · Uses the termAIBOMAgent Identity & Scoped Credentials, 3 mentions · Uses the termAgent Identity &Agent Registry, 2 mentions · Uses the termAgent RegistryDownstream Use Register, 2 mentions · Uses the termDownstream Use RegisterKill Switch / Circuit Breaker, 1 mention · Uses the termKill Switch / Circuit BreakerShadow-AI Discovery, 3 mentions · Uses the termShadow-AI Discovery
Agent registry: related terms and patternsThe term at the centre; related terms on solid edges, the terms it is contrasted with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer.RelatedColour: stack layer of the pattern02 Inventory04 Runtime ControlsRelated terms (2)Kill switch · RelatedKill switchRuntime data path · RelatedRuntime data pathPatterns using it most (6)AIBOM, 1 mention · Uses the termAIBOMAgent Identity & Scoped Credentials, 3 mentions · Uses the termAgent Identity &Agent Registry, 2 mentions · Uses the termAgent RegistryDownstream Use Register, 2 mentions · Uses the termDownstream Use RegisterKill Switch / Circuit Breaker, 1 mention · Uses the termKill Switch / Circuit BreakerShadow-AI Discovery, 3 mentions · Uses the termShadow-AI DiscoveryAgent registry
The term's neighbourhood Terms related to this one on solid edges, terms it is often confused with on dashed edges, and the patterns that use it most in the colour of their layer. Follow a dashed edge to check the distinction before you use either term.
Neighbourhood as a table
Neighbourhood of Agent registry
FamilyItemRelation
Related termsKill switchRelated
Related termsRuntime data pathRelated
Patterns using it mostAIBOM, 1 mentionUses the term
Patterns using it mostAgent Identity & Scoped Credentials, 3 mentionsUses the term
Patterns using it mostAgent Registry, 2 mentionsUses the term
Patterns using it mostDownstream Use Register, 2 mentionsUses the term
Patterns using it mostKill Switch / Circuit Breaker, 1 mentionUses the term
Patterns using it mostShadow-AI Discovery, 3 mentionsUses the term
  • Runtime data path

    The live connection between production and the governance function (discovery, telemetry and enforcement), without which a registry or dashboard describes the…

  • Kill switch

    A tested mechanism to stop an agent or system from acting; a precondition of granting autonomy, registered against the agent's identity.

Sources

No external source: the term is coined or used in a specific sense by this Body of Knowledge, and the section linked under "Developed in" is its source.

Definitions of legal terms paraphrase the cited text, which governs. Dated statements are as of .

Cite this term

García Aibar, J. (2026). Agent registry. In AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis & Body of Knowledge (v0.5.0), Glossary. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22956197. https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/agent-registry. CC BY 4.0

BibTeX

@misc{aige2026agentregistry,
  author  = {Jorge García Aibar},
  title   = {{Agent registry}},
  note    = {Glossary, AI Governance Engineering: The Thesis \& Body of Knowledge, version 0.5.0},
  year    = {2026},
  doi     = {10.5281/zenodo.22956197},
  url     = {https://aigovernanceengineer.com/glossary/agent-registry}
}