languagewill

Languagewill is a theoretical framework for expressing user intent and governance constraints for intelligent systems in natural language. It seeks to capture not only desired actions but also how a system should behave under uncertainty, risk, and changing conditions. The term combines language with will to emphasize translating described intentions into enforceable policies that guide behavior.

Core elements include an intent specification, a will registry, a policy translator, and a verification layer. Intent specifications use controlled natural language or lightweight formal syntax to describe goals and restrictions. The will registry tracks versions and provenance, while the policy translator converts wills into executable constraints compatible with safety and compliance mechanisms.

A typical architecture comprises a natural-language interface, a formal will representation, and a policy-execution engine. The interface aims for expressiveness with minimal ambiguity. The will representation emphasizes traceability and interoperability, enabling audits and updates, while the execution engine enforces constraints during operation.

Potential applications include personal assistants that respect privacy and preferences, collaborative tools that document shared objectives, and AI systems requiring explicit long-term constraints to prevent harm. For example, a user might declare a will to pause data collection when confidence is low or to avoid certain sensitive topics.

Critics argue that natural-language wills remain ambiguous and may conflict when combined. Governance, versioning, and alignment with evolving norms pose challenges, and languagewill remains speculative rather than standardized. Current work is largely exploratory and used primarily in research settings rather than production deployments.