Imagine a workplace where autonomous AI agents seamlessly make decisions, collaborate across organizations, and drive business outcomes—all with minimal human intervention. This vision is quickly becoming a reality, thanks to the emergence of the open agentic web stack. Built on openness, interoperability, and security, this new foundation is set to redefine how enterprises leverage artificial intelligence at scale.
The Pillars of the Agentic Web Stack
Azure AI Foundry’s Agent Factory series identifies eight core services that make enterprise-grade multi-agent systems possible. Each plays a distinct role in creating a robust, secure, and scalable agentic ecosystem:
- Communication Protocol Service: Open protocols like Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) allow agents from different vendors to communicate securely and efficiently.
- Discovery Registry Service: A dynamic catalog and registry empowers agents and tools to be published, discovered, and orchestrated across organizations in real time.
- Identity and Trust Management: Utilizing digital identity standards such as OIDC and JWT, and integrating with enterprise systems like Microsoft Entra ID, ensures every agent interaction is authenticated and fully auditable—enforcing a zero-trust security model.
- Tool Invocation and Integration: With MCP, agents can access APIs and enterprise systems in a vendor-neutral fashion, enabling tool registration that works seamlessly across agent frameworks.
- Orchestration Service: Multi-agent orchestration frameworks enable distributed workflows, so agents can collaborate on complex tasks like IT operations, supply chain management, and financial transactions.
- Telemetry and Observability: Enhanced OpenTelemetry support offers real-time tracing, anomaly detection, and complete auditability, building trust and supporting regulatory compliance.
- Memory Service: Agents with both short-term and long-term memory capabilities can deliver context-aware, adaptive, and personalized interactions—thinking beyond basic task automation.
- Evaluation and Governance: Continuous policy enforcement, ethical safeguards, and compliance controls are embedded, ensuring that innovation remains responsible and accountable.
How to Prepare for the Agentic AI Revolution
To prepare for the agentic AI revolution, organizations must prioritize several strategic initiatives, starting with the adoption of open standards like MCP and A2A to ensure interoperability and future-proof their systems.
This technical foundation should be reinforced by investing in core services, specifically making identity, observability, and memory central components of the AI architecture.
Simultaneously, it is critical to operationalize governance by integrating policy and oversight mechanisms from the outset to maintain compliance and control. Beyond internal operations, companies should actively contribute to the broader ecosystem by engaging with open-source and standards communities to help shape the future of agentic AI.
Finally, unlocking the full potential of these technologies requires upskilling the workforce, ensuring that staff are trained to effectively collaborate with, supervise, and continuously improve AI agents.
Real-World Impact: Strategic Use Cases
The agentic web stack is already reshaping business operations in several areas:
- Business Process Automation: Agents streamline complex processes, such as procure-to-pay, by automating end-to-end workflows and reducing manual intervention.
- Cross-Organization Collaboration: Secure agent-to-agent communication and discovery services enable different companies to synchronize supply chains and boost resilience.
- Knowledge Worker Augmentation: By handling repetitive and high-value tasks, agents free employees for more strategic work—while memory integrations ensure continuity across projects.
- Complex IT Operations: Multi-agent orchestration speeds up incident detection and resolution, keeping operations transparent and compliant.
- Personalized Customer Journeys: Memory-driven agents create adaptive, context-rich experiences that build lasting customer trust and loyalty.
The Road Ahead: Defining the Agentic AI Landscape
Azure AI Foundry’s Agent Factory series sets a clear path for organizations aiming to harness the power of the open agentic web. By integrating best practices, open standards, and enterprise-grade features, businesses can build secure, scalable agent ecosystems ready for tomorrow’s challenges.
As these innovations move center stage at events like Ignite 2025, the organizations embracing this approach will not only accelerate their AI transformation but also play a leading role in defining the future of intelligent, agent-driven business.
Source: Azure Blog
How the Open Agentic Web Stack Is Transforming Enterprise AI