NVIDIA Introduces OpenShell: Safe and Private Runtime for AI Agents

NVIDIA has released OpenShell, an open-source runtime environment designed to securely execute autonomous AI agents using isolated sandbox environments. It features kernel-level isolation and uses declarative security policies to strictly control what system resources an agent can access. As autonomous AI agents become more capable of reading files, calling APIs, and executing code, securing them against unauthorized access or malicious behavior is critical. OpenShell addresses this challenge by allowing developers to grant agents functional capabilities while rigorously protecting underlying data, secrets, and networks. OpenShell utilizes a policy.yaml configuration file to define security boundaries and supports policy verification, credential-protected service access, and multi-tenant deployments. It runs across both CPU and GPU execution environments, enabling scalable and secure agentic workflows.