HID Study: PKI Faces New Demands in the Age of AI and Automation
HID has released a new market study examining how organizations are adapting their Public Key Infrastructure strategies in response to accelerating technological change.
The report, “PKI in the Age of AI and Automation,” is based on insights from more than 300 IT and security leaders across the United States and Europe. It highlights a clear shift. PKI is no longer a background security layer. It is becoming a strategic foundation for digital trust in increasingly automated and connected environments.
Automation Moves to the Center of PKI Strategy
As certificate lifecycles shrink, manual management is reaching its limits. One of the key drivers is the planned reduction of TLS certificate validity by the CA Browser Forum from 398 days today to just 47 days by 2029.
Transport Layer Security certificates secure encrypted connections across websites, applications and connected systems. With shorter lifespans, organizations must handle more frequent renewals. This makes automation essential rather than optional.
According to the study:
67% of organizations are already automating certificate renewal processes
61% plan to invest in PKI automation within the next 24 months
Automation reduces human error and enables organizations to scale certificate management across complex environments. This is particularly relevant for IoT infrastructures and AI driven systems, where the number of identities continues to grow rapidly.
PKI as a Service Gains Momentum but Hybrid Models Dominate
Cloud based PKI models are gaining traction, but adoption remains nuanced.
While:
76% of organizations use cloud components in their PKI
Only 23% rely fully on cloud based PKI deployments
Many large enterprises favor hybrid approaches that combine cloud flexibility with on premise control. This reflects a broader trend. Organizations are not replacing existing PKI systems entirely. They are extending them to support scalability and automation.
PKI as a Service simplifies operations by removing the need for dedicated hardware while enabling automated certificate issuance, renewal and revocation. At the same time, security, compliance and control requirements continue to influence deployment decisions, especially in large scale environments.
Compliance Becomes a Core Business Driver
Regulatory pressure is emerging as one of the strongest catalysts for PKI adoption.
Frameworks such as GDPR, the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 and HIPAA are pushing organizations to strengthen identity and encryption strategies. The study shows that PKI is increasingly tied to business outcomes:
45% of executives identify compliance as a primary PKI objective
39% track compliance as a formal KPI
This shift indicates that PKI is no longer viewed purely as a technical requirement. It is now a measurable contributor to risk management and operational resilience.
Post Quantum Cryptography Readiness Remains Limited
Quantum computing represents a long term but critical threat to current encryption standards. Attackers are expected to collect encrypted data today in anticipation of future decryption capabilities.
Despite this, organizations are progressing cautiously:
12% are actively piloting post quantum cryptography
25% are developing internal strategies
37% are monitoring developments
The complexity of transitioning to quantum resistant cryptography remains a major barrier. Larger organizations, particularly those with more than 50,000 employees, are leading early adoption efforts and running pilot projects to prepare for future migration.
AI Agents Introduce a New Identity Layer
One of the more forward looking findings of the study is the emergence of AI agents as a new category of digital identity.
As machine to machine communication increases, securing interactions between AI systems becomes critical. The study reports:
34% of organizations identify AI agent certificates as a key trend
This reflects a growing need to extend PKI beyond traditional users and devices to include autonomous systems. In environments where AI agents interact with other services, platforms or devices, trusted identities become essential for maintaining secure operations.
PKI as a Strategic Enabler for the Next Phase of Connectivity
The findings underline a broader shift. PKI is evolving into a core enabler of digital ecosystems shaped by IoT, AI and automation.
Shorter certificate lifecycles, increasing regulatory requirements and emerging threats such as quantum computing are forcing organizations to rethink their approach. Automation, hybrid deployment models and new identity frameworks are becoming essential components of modern PKI strategies.
For organizations operating in connected environments, particularly in IoT deployments, scalable and automated PKI infrastructures are increasingly critical to maintaining security, compliance and operational continuity.
The full market study provides additional data and deeper analysis of these developments.
Read and download the study here: https://www.hidglobal.com/resources/public-key-infrastructure-pki-age-ai-and-automation