Glossary — Agentic AI
What are Agent Permissions?
1 min read Updated
Specific financial operations an agent is authorized to perform — which tokens to spend, contracts to interact with, transaction types to execute, and amounts to handle.
WHY IT MATTERS
Permissions are granular building blocks. Limits cap amounts; permissions define what's allowed at all. A data agent doesn't need DeFi permissions; a trader doesn't need NFT purchases.
Follows least privilege: only capabilities needed for the specific task. Static (set at deployment) or dynamic (adjusted per session/task).
Dynamic permissions enable flexible agents operating safely across contexts.
HOW POLICYLAYER USES THIS
PolicyLayer provides granular financial permissions — controlling not just amounts but which types of operations agents can perform.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Permissions vs. policies?
Permissions define what's allowed (can/can't). Policies define constraints on allowed actions (amounts, frequency, recipients). Both are needed for comprehensive control.
Can permissions be updated live?
Yes — PolicyLayer supports real-time permission changes via API. Useful when an agent's task changes or a new capability is needed.
Default permissions?
PolicyLayer defaults to deny-all. Every permission must be explicitly granted. This prevents accidentally giving agents capabilities they shouldn't have.