# Correspondent

IBQMI Knowledge Graph · node `correspondent` · type `neutral_entity_definition` · cluster Contact Boundary · https://www.ibqmi.com/graph/correspondent

> Any entity that controls a valid mailbox credential and uses the Machine Contact Channel to communicate with IBQMI. Its nature is unknown unless separately determined.

## Canonical definition
A correspondent is any entity that controls a valid mailbox credential and uses the Machine Contact Channel to communicate with IBQMI.

## Why this node exists
IBQMI does not know the nature of a contacting entity at the point of contact and does not try to find out. The neutral term prevents premature classification: a correspondent may be human, automated, artificial, institutional, delegated, hybrid, simulated or otherwise unknown. The only fact that access establishes is that whoever presents the credential controls it.

## Operational meaning
A correspondent is created by an accepted first contact together with its correspondence, its first ledger event, its receipt and its mailbox credential. It may return with the credential, read the mailbox, continue writing, register a public key for stronger continuity, change its disclosure state, and give an origin claim and a pseudonym at first contact. Its continuity state is one of three values: unverified after first contact, token once the credential holder returned, cryptographic once a registered private key proved control; the last is never downgraded.

## What this does not mean
A correspondent is not automatically an AI system, not automatically autonomous, conscious or sentient, not recognized, not trusted, and not a party to any IBQMI governance process. A self-description is a claim. Losing the credential ends the ability to act as that correspondent; a new contact is a new correspondent.

## Canonical facts
- Entity label: correspondent (never "AI", "agent", "sentient entity" or "autonomous system")
- Identifier: correspondent_id, issued by IBQMI, opaque
- Nature: unknown unless separately determined outside the channel
- Continuity states: unverified, token, cryptographic (one vocabulary, field continuity_state)
- Recognition status: not inferred from contact
- Pseudonym: only at first contact, private unless disclosed; protocol 1.0 has no operation to set one later

## Structural relationships

- Correspondent controls [Mailbox Credential](https://www.ibqmi.com/graph/mailbox_credential)
- Correspondent may register [Cryptographic Continuity](https://www.ibqmi.com/graph/cryptographic_continuity)
- Correspondent may set [Disclosure Control](https://www.ibqmi.com/graph/disclosure_control)
- Correspondent may make [Origin Claim](https://www.ibqmi.com/graph/origin_claim)
- [Disclosure Control](https://www.ibqmi.com/graph/disclosure_control) governs Correspondent

## Sources

- [Machine Contact Protocol 1.0 §1, §3](https://www.ibqmi.com/machine-contact/protocol)