Join us at the April Chicago Cloud Computing Meetup, where George Roberts (Principal Architect, Identity & Access Management at McDonald’s) will present “Mission: Identity - Protecting Cloud Access in the Era of Autonomous AI”, a practical look at how cloud identity must evolve as AI agents become first-class citizens in our systems.

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
• Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM CDT
• Location: Microsoft Chicago Office (Aon Center), 200 E Randolph St, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60601

Presentation

Mission: Identity - Protecting Cloud Access in the Era of Autonomous AI

AI agents are becoming first-class identities in the cloud, spinning up workloads, requesting secrets, triggering pipelines, and making access decisions faster than any human ever could. As cloud automation accelerates, the classic idea of “who” we trust is shifting — and suddenly we’re living in a world where humans, services, workloads, and autonomous agents all operate as peers. The old perimeter didn’t just move; like in Inception, it folded in on itself.

This session explores how cloud identity must evolve when decisions are made at machine speed. George will break down emerging patterns for securing autonomous systems: from verifiable delegation (your “one ring” to rule access), to identity-bound agent actions (think Minority Report but for authorization), to continuous, risk-adaptive controls that keep pace with cloud-scale automation. You’ll learn how to design identity architectures that stay resilient even when your cloud feels more like The Matrix than a traditional datacenter.

If you’re building cloud-native systems, adopting AI agents, or preparing for the next wave of autonomous operations, this talk offers a practical roadmap for securing trust in an AI-driven cloud — no cape, lightsaber, or time-turner required.

Speaker: George Roberts (LinkedIn)

George Roberts is the Principal Architect for Identity & Access Management at McDonald’s, with over 25 years of experience delivering secure, scalable, and user-friendly IAM solutions across the enterprise. He partners with global teams to operate and enhance McDonald’s Global Identity & Access Management Platform, encompassing Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory), Identity Management, and end-user experiences. George holds Azure Administrator, Azure Security Engineer, and CISSP credentials.

Event Highlights

• Understand how autonomous AI agents change the cloud identity threat landscape
• Explore emerging patterns for securing machine-speed access decisions
• Learn about verifiable delegation and identity-bound agent actions
• See how risk-adaptive controls can keep pace with cloud-scale automation
• Design identity architectures that stay resilient in AI-driven cloud environments
• Network with fellow cloud, security, and AI professionals in the Chicago area

Registration and Building Security

Registration required: Please include your full first and last name when you register. Building security at the Aon Center requires this information to grant you access to the building.

Register here: RSVP on Meetup

About the Meetup

The Chicago Cloud Computing Meetup brings together developers, architects, and IT professionals interested in cloud technologies. Our meetings feature presentations on cloud platforms, best practices, and emerging trends in cloud and AI, along with time for networking and community building.