Kite AI views autonomy from a different perspective. Instead of expecting agents to "behave," it builds boundaries directly into the protocol. Spending limits, permission scopes, and delegation rules are not flexible guidelines or app settings – they are enforced on-chain, at the governance layer itself. Autonomy is present, but only within clearly set boundaries.
This is programmable governance in action. When a user gives authority to an agent, they do not hand over complete control. They set conditions: how much can be spent, where funds can go, what actions are permitted, and when execution must halt. These limits are not enforced by trust or oversight, but by the protocol’s execution logic. If an action breaks the rule set, it simply cannot occur.
The Kite Passport is central to this system. It is more than an authentication token or wallet identity. It combines identity, permissions, and reputation into one, adaptable unit. Identity shows who the agent represents. Permissions define what it is allowed to do. Reputation shows how it has performed over time – successful execution, following rules, and dependability across sessions.
Together, this makes delegation something that can be measured and checked. An agent's autonomy is not total; it depends on the situation. Every action is defined, trackable, and answerable to the Passport it operates under. Over time, reputation becomes a signal that other protocols and services can read, allowing trust without unthinking delegation.
Kite’s design changes governance into an execution limit, not a social process. By embedding spending rules and permissions at the protocol level, it makes delegated autonomy safer, more predictable, and aligned with real economic accountability – a vital step if agents are to act as lasting participants rather than temporary bots.
