A.M.O. A Constitutional Runtime Architecture for Structural Governance of Autonomous Systems

AMO proposes a minimal architectural model for governing decision-making systems by separating three fundamental roles: authority, mandate, and operation. Rather than embedding governance inside execution layers, the model defines a structural distinction between the source of authority, the delegation of mandate, and the operational mechanisms that perform actions. This separation enables systems to remain auditable, deterministic, and structurally coherent even as automation and agent-based decision loops increase in complexity. The paper introduces AMO as a governance primitive that clarifies how authority is established, how mandate is delegated, and how operations are constrained within a lawful decision structure. The model provides a simple but rigorous foundation for designing governance architectures in complex AI and automated systems.