The API Authorization Hierarchy of Needs

API authorization must evolve through four progressive levels before supporting AI agents. Start with application-level authorization handling multi-tenancy and granular roles, then add service accounts for machine-to-machine access, implement delegated OAuth flows for third-party apps acting on behalf of users, and finally address AI-specific risks like data leakage and hallucination through intent-based permissions and RAG pipeline authorization. Without mastering human authorization first, AI agent integration will fail catastrophically.