AI agents are already embedded within your infrastructure, yet the critical issue remains: no one is truly in control. In this episode, we sit down with two experts from Red Hat, Michael Epley and Sam Richman, who are actively engaged at the intersection of AI, security, and defense. Their work isn't theoretical; it's about managing systems where the stakes couldn't be higher.
Michael Epley, as Chief Architect and Security Strategist, has dedicated years to building identity and governance frameworks in environments where errors are unacceptable. Meanwhile, Sam Richman, Principal Architect for Defense, is responsible for deploying software from development environments to operational drones.
This discussion reveals some uncomfortable realities surrounding modern security and AI: the presence of AI agents operating without proper identification, the ineffectiveness of security models designed for human users when governing machine behavior, and the challenge of managing systems that cannot be thoroughly tested, predicted, or trusted.
Despite these challenges, these systems are being rolled out. If you're involved in developing AI systems or ensuring their security, this episode poses a critical question: Do you truly understand what your AI agents are doing?
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Things to listen for:
(00:00) Meet Michael Epley and Sam Richman
(02:47) Are enterprises ready for AI agents
(05:00) Why AI adoption outpaces value
(07:00) AI finding vulnerabilities humans missed
(10:58) Why AI systems are unpredictable by design
(13:00) The identity problem for AI agents
(17:00) Digital sovereignty becomes mission-critical
(21:30) AI strategy in defense and enterprise
(26:30) Why modular AI infrastructure matters
(27:30) What Kagenti actually solves
(31:00) Fixing overprovisioned AI agents
(34:30) Observability and agent behavior tracking
(38:00) AI at the edge and deployment risks
(47:30) Running AI without losing control of data
(59:00) Predictions for AI governance and agents
Resources:
Michael Epley’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/epleymichael
Sam Richman’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-richman
Red Hat website: https://www.redhat.com
