[2602.15055] Beyond Context Sharing: A Unified Agent Communication Protocol (ACP) for Secure, Federated, and Autonomous Agent-to-Agent (A2A) Orchestration
Summary
The paper introduces the Agent Communication Protocol (ACP), a framework for secure and efficient agent-to-agent orchestration, addressing challenges in decentralized AI interactions.
Why It Matters
As AI systems evolve towards autonomy, the need for standardized communication protocols becomes critical. ACP aims to facilitate secure, federated interactions among diverse agents, which is essential for developing a cohesive Agentic Web and enhancing collaborative AI capabilities.
Key Takeaways
- ACP provides a standardized framework for agent-to-agent communication.
- The protocol enhances security through decentralized identity verification.
- It reduces communication latency while maintaining a zero-trust security posture.
- The federated orchestration model supports collaborative workflows across different environments.
- This work is a significant step towards a scalable ecosystem of autonomous agents.
Computer Science > Multiagent Systems arXiv:2602.15055 (cs) [Submitted on 11 Feb 2026] Title:Beyond Context Sharing: A Unified Agent Communication Protocol (ACP) for Secure, Federated, and Autonomous Agent-to-Agent (A2A) Orchestration Authors:Naveen Kumar Krishnan View a PDF of the paper titled Beyond Context Sharing: A Unified Agent Communication Protocol (ACP) for Secure, Federated, and Autonomous Agent-to-Agent (A2A) Orchestration, by Naveen Kumar Krishnan View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:In the artificial intelligence space, as we transition from isolated large language models to autonomous agents capable of complex reasoning and tool use. While foundational architectures and local context management protocols have been established, the challenge of cross-platform, decentralized, and secure interaction remains a significant barrier to the realization of a truly Agentic Web. Building upon the foundations of AI agent architectures and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for multi-agent coordination, this paper introduces the Agent Communication Protocol (ACP). ACP provides a standardized framework for Agent-to-Agent (AA) interaction, enabling heterogeneous agents to discover, negotiate, and execute collaborative workflows across disparate environments. We propose a federated orchestration model that integrates decentralized identity verification, semantic intent mapping, and automated service-level agreements. Our evaluation demonstrates that ACP reduces inter-agent co...