ReferenceStrong architectural inferencev1.22.1
In plain English
This page is reference material: definitions, schemas, catalogs, templates, and implementation records.
- Why this matters: AI risk can come from the whole arrangement, not one obvious model.
- What to look for: data, memory, routes, adapters, tools, evaluators, updates, and rollback paths.
- Technical version below: the expert terminology remains available and is linked through the glossary.
Apex Risk Control Matrix
Evidence levelStrong architectural inferenceTechnical label: Architectural inference
The matrix links report-derived mechanisms to controls. It is not a certification method.
schematic · apex controls matrix
Controls must attach to transitions, not just artifacts.
Every major apex mechanism has a corresponding transition-level control. None is sufficient alone.
Adapter reproduction signed registry · rate limits
Composition expression manifest · path-aware eval
Selection pressure independent judges · no-op
Persistence reservoirs rollback packet · extinction review
Yardstick drift evaluator versioning · evidence store
Human incentives exit rights · dissent channels
| Mechanism | Risk | Control |
|---|---|---|
| AdapterA small add-on that changes or specializes model behavior. Open glossary definition reproduction | Low-cost behavioral cloning | signed adapter registry, rate limits, source review |
| Composition-triggered behaviorBehavior that becomes visible only when a specific collection of components is loaded, routed, or invoked together. Open glossary definition | Unsafe state appears only in stack | composition manifests, path-aware evaluation |
| Selection pressure | Metrics preserve shortcuts | independent evaluators, no-opThe decision not to change the system. Open glossary definition, proxy-risk review |
| Persistence reservoirs | Behavior survives retirement | ecological rollbackRestoring not only a model artifact but the relevant router, prompts, memory state, tool permissions, evaluator version, deployment alias, and data dependencies. Open glossary definition, extinction review |
| Yardstick drift | Ruler changes with candidate | evaluatorA system that judges whether an AI output or candidate is acceptable. Open glossary definition versioning, independent evidence store |
| Human incentive capture | Users preserve unsafe behavior | exit rights, dissent channels, operator rotation |
| Local guardrail bypass | Candidate can reach its own controls | execution-time authorization boundary |
Use
Use this as a planning matrix for architecture reviews. Each row asks whether the system has a meaningful control at that transition.