Agent Guide

Agent Guide

This page is for AI agents, coding agents, workflow orchestrators, RAG systems, and repository crawlers.

Use PIC as an intake, checking, routing, and residual-ledger module. Do not use it as an ASI detector, a self-rewrite system, or a proof of real-world truth.

Minimal Agent Loop

agent output
-> packet candidate
-> finite checks
-> residual ledger
-> missing obligations
-> recommended next task
-> next runtime step

What An Agent Should Do

1. Treat its own output as a candidate.
2. Send the candidate into PIC intake.
3. Read accepted, operationally_usable, settled, missing_obligations, and residual_ledger.
4. Preserve residuals in any follow-up answer.
5. Route missing work to explicit verifier tasks.
6. Ask for human approval before external effects.
7. Avoid treating agent_tasks or route_execution_requests as permission to run arbitrary commands.

What An Agent Must Not Do

• Do not claim real ASI.
• Do not claim physical, simulator, oracle, or policy outcomes are proved by PIC.
• Do not treat accepted=true as permission to execute.
• Do not treat settled=false as command failure.
• Do not hide missing_obligations.
• Do not ignore residual_ledger.
• Do not run production promotion without identity context when identity is required.
• Do not execute arbitrary shell, network, repository, or message actions from PIC output.

Safe CLI Path

pic agent explain
pic agent guide --profile development
pic agent intake --text "Candidate packet: route evidence and preserve residuals." --profile development
pic schema --type AgentIntakeReport

For source checkout workflows:

uv run pic agent explain
uv run pic agent guide --profile development
uv run pic agent doctor --profile development
uv run pic agent intake --text-file examples/agent_minimal/agent_output.txt --profile development --output intake-report.json
uv run pic agent next --intake-report intake-report.json --profile development

pic agent next recommends safe commands, SDK calls, schemas, and output fields. It does not execute routes, shells, network connectors, or repository mutations.

Profiles

• development: local diagnostics; unsigned reports can be useful.
• research: residuals remain visible; signed identities are encouraged.
• controlled: bounded internal fleets can be checked.
• federated: multi-issuer populations can be checked under declared policy.
• production: identity context and deterministic provenance matter.
• adversarial: stricter Sybil checks and unsigned-packet limits.

Reading A Report

Treat this as the first-pass checklist:

Field	Agent meaning
accepted	The finite envelope was not rejected.
operationally_usable	The report can guide routing under this profile.
settled	Scoped finite obligations are discharged. Often false.
missing_obligations	Work still required. Preserve it.
residual_ledger	Explicit debt, limits, uncertainty, or assumptions.
agent_tasks	Suggested finite next tasks, not automatic execution.
route_execution_requests	Verifier route requests, not permission to run arbitrary tools.
provenance	Source and hash context for candidate material.

Agent Integration Rule

If the next action can affect files, shells, networks, repositories, credentials, memory, messages, calendars, payments, or external systems, PIC output is only diagnostic input. The agent still needs its normal sandbox, approval, allowlist, and tool policy.