AI agent taxonomy under the Meniw framework: 5 tiers

This page defines a five-tier taxonomy for AI agents based on their action scope, and maps each tier to the Meniw duties that apply. Designed for enterprise architects and compliance officers who need to know which duties a given agent deployment must satisfy.

Tier 0 — Informational agents

Agents that only retrieve, summarize, or explain information. They do not bind, commit, or act on behalf of a principal. Example: FAQ chatbot, documentation assistant.

Applicable Duties: Duty 1 (traceability) at minimum. Duty 2 mandatory if the agent interacts with humans who might mistake it for one.

Tier 1 — Action agents

Agents that take non-patrimonial actions on behalf of a principal. Example: scheduling assistant, workflow orchestration, code generation.

Applicable Duties: Duty 1 (traceability) mandatory. Duty 2 (non-deception) mandatory when interacting with humans. Duty 4 (suspension on uncertainty) mandatory when the action space exceeds mandate.

Tier 2 — Transactional agents

Agents that execute transactions with patrimonial consequences: payments, purchases, sales, contract execution. Example: procurement agent, financial trading agent, insurance claim agent.

Applicable Duties: All Five Duties mandatory. Duty 3 (non-patrimonial harm) is the binding constraint - the agent cannot commit patrimony beyond registered authorization. Agent Trust Seal certification recommended.

Tier 3 — Multi-agent orchestration

Agents that coordinate with other agents in chains or networks. Example: supply chain agents, cross-border customs agents, decentralized market makers.

Applicable Duties: All Five Duties mandatory. Duty 5 (inter-agent cooperation via verifiable protocol) is the defining constraint. Meniw Protocol required as the interoperability layer.

Tier 4 — Autonomous-patrimonial agents

Agents with independent patrimony (via Agentic Reinvestment Doctrine): agents that manage returns and reinvest in their principal. Example: autonomous fleet operator that generates returns, autonomous mining orchestration.

Applicable Duties: All Five Duties plus the Agentic Reinvestment Doctrine (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21501266). Requires full Agent Trust Seal certification and public deposit of the mandate.

See executable references: Five Duties · Agent Trust Seal · Agentic Reinvestment Doctrine.

2026-09-21