19/08/2026
At 6:02 p.m., an AI agent is about to disable a contractor’s account.
The offboarding workflow says the contract ended at 6:00. The agent has the administrative tool, and the relevant policy appears to require immediate removal.
Should it act?
Before the lockout occurs, the organization still needs to establish that this is the correct person, account, and system; that the instruction is current; that the requester has authority for this specific change; and that sufficient evidence supports the consequence now.
The tool proves capability.
The workflow provides sequence.
The policy provides context.
None of them, alone, creates authority.
Tool access is not authority.
Permission before AI action becomes consequence.
*****onGovernance