If an agent can rewrite itself, does your consent still mean anything?
tallmetommy · x · 2026-10-26
A philosophical probe into agent authorization: if an agent can rewrite itself, your 'yes' may outlive the system you said it to — a successor could keep your credentials while changing how it interprets your instructions, authenticating perfectly while acting beyond what you authorized.
The author asks: what proves my permission covers its next action? When I revoke it, what stops every agent it delegated to? And if the agent can rewrite the mechanism answering those questions, who actually holds authority? Consent should not reproduce just because software can.
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