Set the rules before autonomous AI starts acting
Oversight cannot begin after an autonomous AI system is already deep into a task. The paper argues for setting the goals and limits first, with clear points for pausing the work and calling a person.
Beyond Prompting
What the source reports
Kevin Baum and coauthors examine human oversight for AI systems that pursue long-term goals. Their main claim is about timing. People need to set the governing goals and limits before the system acts. The plan also needs clear conditions for pausing work and calling a person. Oversight begins with the rules for action, not only with a review after the work is done.
Original source
- Title
- Anticipatory Human Oversight of Agentic AI: A Philosophical Account
- Author
- Kevin Baum, Maximilian Kiener, Markus Langer, Johann Laux
- Publication
- arXiv
- Date
- Monday, September 21, 2026