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Public trust standard

Approval architecture: put the pause where a mistake would matter

A good approval shows the action, the facts behind it, and the consequence. Then it lets the authorized person decide.

Published August 24, 2026 · Reviewed against current product boundaries

Four control levels

Draft only

The AI prepares work. A person edits and performs the external action.

Propose and wait

The AI prepares the exact action and pauses for approval.

Act inside limits

The AI performs a tested routine action only inside explicit thresholds and hands exceptions back.

Scheduled routine

A low-consequence, repeatable job runs on schedule and ends with a receipt.

What the approver needs

  • The proposed action in full.
  • Who or what will be affected.
  • The source facts and their date.
  • The rule or job that allowed the proposal.
  • The consequence of approval and rejection.
  • A visible path to edit, reject, or escalate.

Where a person should stay

Keep a person directly involved in money movement, contracts, regulated or licensed judgment, hiring and firing, material customer promises, safety decisions, and any action the business cannot easily reverse.

Avoid approval theater

If the approver cannot understand the proposal without opening five systems, the gate is badly designed. If every harmless action requires a tap, people will approve blindly. Place the pause at the consequence, not at every step.