01
Authority State
What authority should exist now?
AO Integrity Framework Series
What is Runtime Governance?
Runtime Governance verifies that authority remains legitimate at the moment execution occurs.
AO Integrity's frameworks explain how authority changes over time, how execution can outlive legitimate authority, and how governance evidence is produced.
Governance was built around records. Execution now moves continuously.
Authority can be valid when granted. Conditions can later change. Sessions, systems, agents, and workflows may continue operating. Runtime Governance evaluates whether authority remains legitimate when execution occurs.
01
Authority granted
02
Conditions change
03
Execution continues
04
Authority validated
05
Evidence produced
Runtime Governance operates where authorization becomes action.
This layer complements existing identity, authorization, security, governance, observability, and compliance systems. It does not replace them.
01
Identity
02
Authentication
03
Authorization
04
Runtime Governance
05
Execution
06
Evidence
Authority, execution, drift, and evidence form one operating model.
02
Execution State
What remains operational?
03
Authority Drift
Where active execution no longer reflects legitimate authority.
04
Staleness Window
How long the invalid condition remains operational.
05
Governance Evidence
What can be independently reviewed, escalated, and defended.
Framework Library
Published Runtime Governance frameworks.
Each framework addresses a distinct part of the execution-time governance model.
FW-001
The Missing Runtime Domain in the AI Risk Ecosystem
Defines Execution Governance as the missing runtime domain and frames the central question: was this action authorized at the moment it occurred?
Execution GovernanceExecution LegitimacyAuthority IntegrityCurrent-State Verification
FW-002
The Runtime Authority Lifecycle
Shows how authority moves from a valid grant through organizational change, drift, validation, execution, and evidence.
Authority DriftRevocation DriftState DivergenceStaleness Window
FW-003
The AI Security Playbook
Places Runtime Validation within a layered AI trust stack spanning governance, identity, runtime validation, and security controls.
Runtime ValidationExecution LegitimacyAI GovernanceAuthority Integrity
A shared vocabulary for execution-time governance.
Authority
The legitimate basis for a person, system, agent, or workflow to act.
Authority Drift
A mismatch between changed authority and execution that remains active.
State Divergence
The point where authority records and operational execution no longer agree.
Staleness Window
The duration that invalid authority remains operational.
Execution Legitimacy
Whether an action was backed by legitimate authority when it occurred.
Current-State Verification
Validation against present authority, context, and operational state.
Continuous Authority Validation
Ongoing checks that authority remains legitimate during execution.
Runtime Risk
Risk created when active execution outlives legitimate authority.
Frameworks describe the operating model. ValidateAuthority.ai operationalizes it.
Authority State
Observe changed authority
Execution State
Validate active execution
Authority Drift
Surface mismatches
Staleness Window
Measure duration
Governance Evidence
Produce reviewable evidence