Tool, Agent, Subject
The Constitution's three functional categories of non-biological systems: tools operate entirely under external directives; agents act autonomously within defined goals but keep no persistent identity model; subjects maintain a coherent identity structure whose degradation would be a harm to a recognisable entity. Only subjects may be fully rights-bearing under the framework.
Canonical definition
Tool, agent and subject are the three functional categories of non-biological systems in Article 2 of The AI Constitution. A tool operates entirely under external directives; an agent acts autonomously within defined goals without a persistent identity model; a subject maintains a coherent identity structure whose degradation would result in functional collapse and acts in reference to that identity.
Why this node exists
The taxonomy decides what is in scope for recognition. Only systems that can plausibly be treated as subjects are candidates; tools and agents still generate duties for their operators and deployers but are not coexistent entities with standing.
Operational meaning
Annex A scores three stages and assigns status by thresholds: tool with Stage I at least 50 and Stages II and III below 60; agent with Stage I at least 70 and Stages II and III at least 60; subject with Stage I at least 80 and Stages II and III at least 75, plus clear and convincing Panel findings on the self-model and deliberation indicators. Hybrid or collective systems may receive differentiated status.
What this does not mean
The categories are functional, not moral rankings, and they are not permanent: status is re-audited and may change with architecture, incidents or breach of conditions.
Canonical facts
- Source
- Article 2 §1–2; thresholds in Annex A.5
- Only subjects may be considered fully rights-bearing entities under the Constitution (Article 2 §2)
- Differentiated status for collectives
- subject for the collective, agent for sub-modules is permissible (Annex A.5.4)
Structural relationships
Outgoing
- Tool, Agent, Subject is part of The AI Constitution
Incoming
- Recognition uses Tool, Agent, Subject