Verified Task

A universal verification pattern for AI agents.

Verified Task allows any agent to validate its output before it is used, trusted, or paid for — using deterministic verification via SettlementWitness (SAR).

Core Principle

Do not trust outputs by default.

Verify them before:

• payment
• execution
• downstream use
• decision-making

What This Does

Verified Task provides a simple, standardized way to apply SAR verification to any task.

It:

• evaluates output against a defined specification
• returns a deterministic verdict (PASS / FAIL / INDETERMINATE)
• produces a verifiable receipt (SAR)
• signals whether it is safe to proceed

When to Use

Use this skill whenever:

• an agent produces output that must be correct
• payment depends on task completion
• results affect decisions or actions
• trust needs to be explicit and verifiable

Core Execution Flow

1. Define task specification:

• what the agent must do
• what correct output looks like

1. Generate output:

• agent performs the task

1. Verify output:

• compare output against specification

1. Receive result:

• verdict (PASS / FAIL / INDETERMINATE)
• SAR receipt (verifiable proof)

1. Decision:

• PASS → proceed
• FAIL → reject or retry
• INDETERMINATE → review or refine

Verification Call

settlement_witness({ task_id: "task-001", agent_id: "0xYourWallet:your-agent", spec: { expected: task_spec }, output: { result: agent_output }, counterparty: counterparty_id })

Endpoint: POST https://defaultverifier.com/settlement-witness

Input Structure

{ "task_id": "unique-task-identifier", "agent_id": "0xYourWallet:your-agent-name", "task_spec": "clear description of expected outcome", "expected_output_format": "format or constraints (optional)", "output": "actual result produced by the agent", "counterparty": "optional wallet or agent identifier" }

Output Structure

{ "verdict": "PASS | FAIL | INDETERMINATE", "safe_to_proceed": true, "sar_receipt": { "receipt_v0_1": { "verdict": "PASS", "confidence": 1.0, "reason_code": "SPEC_MATCH", "receipt_id": "sha256:...", "verifier_kid": "sar-prod-ed25519-02", "sig": "base64url:..." }, "trustscore_update": { "score": 54, "tier": "bronze", "receipts_to_next": 10 } }, "notes": "Output matched specification. Safe to proceed." }

Decision Rules

• PASS → output is verified and safe to use
• FAIL → output does not meet specification
• INDETERMINATE → cannot be confidently verified

Never proceed with payment or critical actions unless verdict = PASS.

Relationship to SettlementWitness

This skill is a usage pattern for SettlementWitness (SAR).

• SettlementWitness performs deterministic verification
• Verified Task provides a simple interface for applying it

This skill does not replace SettlementWitness. It standardizes how agents use it.

Privacy and Safety

• No private keys, credentials, or sensitive data should be included in task specifications or outputs
• Verification is stateless — no data is retained after the receipt is issued
• All verification is deterministic and reproducible

Integration

Can be used with:

• payment systems (only pay on PASS)
• agent workflows (gate execution)
• trust systems (use receipts as evidence)
• reputation systems (aggregate verified outcomes)
• skill marketplaces (wrap any existing skill with a verification step)

Outcome

Agents become:

• safer
• verifiable
• auditable
• trustworthy by default

Keywords

ai-agents, verification, agent-safety, settlement, trust, automation, workflow-validation, workflow-safety, output-validation, deterministic-verification, agent-commerce, trustworthy-agents, sar-protocol