Definition
A Boundary is an explicit limit on what a role, capability, or AI agent may do. AAOE's AI Agent Reference Architecture defines several kinds: Agent Boundaries (what agents may and may not do), Context Boundaries (what context an agent may draw on), Tool Boundaries (tools as capabilities, not authority), and Trust Boundaries (authority always remaining with human governance).
Why It Matters
Boundaries are what keep specialization safe. An agent, capability, or role with an unclear boundary tends to accumulate scope it was never meant to have. Explicit boundaries let responsibility stay traceable even as more participants — human or AI — get involved in the same system.
Related Concepts
- Responsibility
- AI Collaborator
- Human Governance
- Scope
References
- ARCH-0002 — AI Agent Reference Architecture
- OM-0003 — Roles & Responsibilities