Permission

A permission is an authorized ability to access information, use a tool, or perform an action under defined conditions.

Plan for this page

Understand one concept in plain language and connect it to nearby ideas.

You will leave with: Permissions can limit operation, data, recipient, environment, amount, time, or purpose. Enforcement should occur in the surrounding software and identity systems rather than rely only on a model remembering an instruction.
Time: 3–8 min
Before you begin: No prerequisite. Keep one real example in mind.
Do this now: Read the explanation, then compare the example with the common misunderstanding.

Prepared next stepReview agent permissions

PermissionA permission is an authorized ability to access information, use a tool, or perform an action under defined conditions.

Tool use
Human oversight
Security

Plain explanation

Permissions can limit operation, data, recipient, environment, amount, time, or purpose. Enforcement should occur in the surrounding software and identity systems rather than rely only on a model remembering an instruction.

Example

An agent may read inventory levels but cannot change prices, and any purchase above a limit requires approval by a named manager.

Why it matters

Agent capability becomes consequence through permissions. Least-privilege access, expiry, separation of duties, logging, and revocation reduce the damage of error or misuse.

Common misunderstanding

Misconception: telling an agent “do not do that” is a permission control. Correction: a real permission prevents or gates the action at an enforceable boundary.

Related concepts

Follow relationships, not only the alphabet

Tool useTool use is a system’s ability to invoke an external function, service, interface, or device and incorporate the result.Human oversightHuman oversight is the wider capacity of responsible people and institutions to understand, govern, monitor, challenge, and intervene in an AI system.SecuritySecurity protects systems and information against unauthorized access, change, disclosure, disruption, or destruction.

Review agent permissions

Sources and scope

What supports this object

Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology

Supports governance, role, access, accountability and contextual risk mapping; concrete authorization controls require system-specific security design.

Open source

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