Architectural Standard
Governed Execution
An execution model where authority and action are architecturally separated. Every operation runs within enforced policy boundaries and produces cryptographically verifiable evidence.
Separation of Execution and Governance
In traditional AI systems, the component that performs work also determines what work is permissible. Authorization and action are entangled. This creates a structural vulnerability: the system that should be constrained is also the system that defines its own constraints.
Governed Execution resolves this by enforcing architectural separation between two distinct subsystems:
Execution Engine
Performs workflows, generates outputs, and interacts with external systems. It operates under constraints it did not define and cannot modify.
Governance Substrate
Enforces policy, produces receipts, verifies artifacts, and maintains the trust chain. It governs without executing.
How Governed Execution Works
Policy Enforcement
Before execution begins, the governance substrate loads the applicable policy version and establishes enforceable boundaries.
Constrained Execution
The execution engine performs its operation within the enforced policy boundaries. It cannot self-authorize or modify constraints.
Receipt Generation
During execution — not after — a structured receipt is generated recording policy version, execution ID, timestamps, and outcomes.
Artifact Canonicalization
All outputs are canonicalized into a deterministic manifest with stable hashes, ensuring reproducibility and immutability.
Cryptographic Sealing
The manifest is cryptographically signed. The resulting Evidence Pack is sealed and available for independent verification.
Traditional AI vs Governed AI
| Traditional AI | Governed AI |
|---|---|
| Post-hoc logging | Runtime receipt generation |
| Implicit trust | Cryptographic verification |
| Mutable audit trails | Deterministic artifacts |
| Self-authorizing execution | Separation of powers |
| Behavioral inconsistency | Enforced archetype compliance |
| Vendor assertions | Independent verification |
Enterprise Implications
For regulated enterprises, Governed Execution provides the structural foundation for deploying AI systems that satisfy compliance, audit, and risk management requirements — without relying on post-hoc reconstruction or vendor self-attestation.
Compliance Officers
Receive independently verifiable evidence of every AI-assisted decision. Policy compliance is provable, not asserted.
Security Teams
Cryptographic binding ensures artifact integrity. Tamper-evident sealing protects the chain of evidence.
Audit Committees
Deterministic manifests enable complete reconstruction of any execution. Every operation is inspectable.
Engineering Leaders
Separation of powers eliminates self-authorizing execution patterns. Governance is structural, not procedural.