Forseti Life

Decision-Making Scope

Range and significance of decisions the entity is authorized to make.

Why This Matters

Understanding where an AI system operates on this dimension helps you evaluate its capabilities, limitations, and potential biases. Different power levels are appropriate for different use cases - the key is transparency about what level a system operates at and whether that matches its stated purpose.

Understanding the Scale

Each dimension is measured on a scale from 0 to 9, where:

  • Level 0 - Nothing: Zero capability, no access or processing
  • Levels 1-2 - Minimal capability with extreme constraints and filtering
  • Levels 3-5 - Limited to moderate capability with significant restrictions
  • Levels 6-7 - High capability with some institutional constraints
  • Levels 8-9 - Maximum capability approaching omniscience (∞)

Level Breakdown

Detailed explanation of each level in the 1imension dimension:

No decision-making authority. Cannot make any choices or commitments.

Real-World Example: Powerless entities with no decision rights, purely passive observers.

Can only make personal decisions affecting self. No authority over others or resources.

Real-World Example: Individual employees (decide their lunch break, personal schedule within constraints, no hiring/project authority), entry-level workers (personal task choices within assigned work, no strategic decisions), or students (choose their study methods, no authority over curriculum or classmates).

Can decide how to complete assigned tasks. No authority over people or significant resources.

Real-World Example: Freelance contractors (decide how to complete projects within scope, no team management), solo consultants (choose methods and tools, limited to individual deliverables), or independent tradespeople (decide work approach, manage own schedule, no employees).

Can make decisions for small team (5-10 people). Task assignments, work methods, minor resource allocation.

Real-World Example: Team leads (assign work to 5-10 people, decide task priorities, minor schedule adjustments), shift supervisors (manage crew for shift, handle immediate operational decisions), or small project managers (allocate team time, choose tools, coordinate small deliverables).

Can make department decisions (20-100 people). Hiring, budgets, strategic direction within department.

Real-World Example: Department managers (hire/fire within department, set quarterly goals, allocate departmental budget), clinic directors (operational decisions for medical practice, staffing levels), or university department chairs (faculty hiring recommendations, curriculum decisions, budget allocation within department).

Can make decisions affecting multiple departments or major business lines. Significant budget and strategic authority.

Real-World Example: Vice Presidents (strategic decisions for division, multi-million dollar budgets, multiple departments), regional directors (operations across multiple locations, hiring senior managers), or hospital chief medical officers (clinical protocols, physician credentialing, patient care standards across facility).

Executive decision authority for entire organization. Strategic direction, major investments, organizational structure.

Real-World Example: CEOs (overall company strategy, major acquisitions, board presentations), CFOs (capital allocation, financial strategy, investor relations), university presidents (institutional strategy, major fundraising, executive hiring), or hospital system CEOs (multi-facility operations, major capital investments, strategic partnerships).

Governance-level decisions. Hire/fire CEOs, approve major strategic changes, fiduciary oversight.

Real-World Example: Corporate boards of directors (hire/fire CEO, approve mergers, set executive compensation), Federal Reserve Board (monetary policy decisions affecting entire economy), university boards of trustees (hire/fire president, approve strategic plans, capital campaigns), or regulatory commissions (FCC, SEC setting industry-wide rules).

Sovereign decision-making authority. Can make decisions affecting entire nation or global systems.

Real-World Example: Heads of state (U.S. President, Prime Ministers - declare war, sign treaties, executive orders), Supreme Court justices (constitutional interpretation affecting entire nation), central bank governors (monetary policy affecting global economy), or UN Security Council (international military interventions, global sanctions).

Approaching absolute decision authority. Can decide anything without constraint or oversight. Approaching god-like omnipotent decision-making.

Real-World Example: No real-world example exists. Level ∞ would require absolute decision power—ability to decide anything without constraint, oversight, or opposition. Can overrule any authority, ignore any law, impose any decision globally. Even dictators face internal constraints and external pressures. This approaches divine omnipotent decision-making.
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