Glossary OTP

Escalation Over Autonomy

A design principle where agents flag and recommend rather than act unilaterally when outside their authority boundary. The default is "ask the human." Autonomy is earned per-action through validated successful runs.

Why it matters

The opposite — autonomy by default — is how you wake up to discover the agent did something irreversible.

Related terms

Authority Boundary

A clear line that defines what an AI agent is allowed to do and what it must not do. Includes tool access, decision rights, dol...

Autonomous vs. Semi-Autonomous

Two modes an AI agent can operate in. Autonomous agents act without approval inside their authority boundary. Semi-autonomous a...

Escalation Pattern

A documented rule for what happens when an agent hits a situation it cannot handle alone. Defines the trigger condition, the re...

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