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Trust metadata for AI agents — a stamp costs ~15 tokens, re-verifying costs 15,000. Agents stamp what they verify; the next agent runs 'akf check' and builds on it. pip install akf

15 stars PythonOthers Updated Aug 5, 2026
aicompliancefile-formatllmprovenancepythontypescriptagentai-governancecontent-provenanceeu-ai-actmcptrust-metadataai-safetyllamaindexmetadatatrustai-agentsmcp-serverclaude-code-plugin

Documentation


_akf: '{"v":"1.0","claims":[{"c":"Trust metadata for README.md","t":0.7,"id":"1979cbeb","src":"unspecified","tier":5,"ver":false,"ai":true,"evidence":[{"type":"other","detail":"updated certify and github action references","at":"2026-03-18T04:21:48.869226+00:00"}]}],"id":"akf-c33254656fc5","agent":"claude-code","at":"2026-03-18T04:21:48.870623+00:00","label":"public","inherit":true,"ext":false,"sv":"1.1"}'


AKF — The AI Native File Format

A stamp costs ~15 tokens. Re-verifying costs 15,000.

Think EXIF for AI — trust metadata that travels with every AI-generated file,

so the next agent (or human) knows what it can build on.

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Paste this to your agent

Don't install AKF yourself — let your agent do it. Paste this into Claude Code, Cursor, OpenClaw, or any coding agent:

code
Install AKF (pip install akf, or pipx install akf) and set it up: run `akf init --git-hooks`.
From now on:
- After you create or modify a file, stamp it:
    akf stamp  --agent  --evidence ""
- Before building on any existing file, check it first:
    akf check 
  OK = fresh stamp with verified evidence, skip re-verification. STALE/LOW/UNSTAMPED = verify before trusting.
If you support MCP, also register the server: {"mcpServers":{"akf":{"command":"python","args":["-m","mcp_server_akf"]}}}

Your agent installs its own provenance layer — and every file it touches carries trust metadata from then on.

Why agents need this

Agents redo work constantly: re-read files, re-run tests, re-derive conclusions — because nothing tells them what was already verified. A stamp is cached verification state:

console
# Session 1 — agent fixes auth, tests pass
$ akf stamp auth.py --agent claude-code --evidence "42/42 tests passed"

# Session 2 — tomorrow, any agent, any tool
$ akf check auth.py
OK trust=0.65 agent=claude-code evidence=test_pass age=1d claims=1
# → build on it, skip re-verification

# Someone edits auth.py without re-testing
$ akf check auth.py
STALE trust=0.65 agent=claude-code evidence=test_pass age=1d claims=1 reason=modified_after_stamp
# → re-verify before trusting (exit code 1 — gate CI or hooks on it)

Stamps are trail markers agents leave for other agents — across sessions, across tools (Claude Code → Cursor → Copilot), across teams. Humans get the same trail: who made this file, AI or human, was it tested, can we trust it.

What travels with the fileHow
Trust score0–1 confidence, weighted by evidence and source tier
Verification evidencetests passed, type check clean, human reviewed — with timestamps
Source provenanceSEC filing → analyst → AI agent chain
ComplianceOne command: `akf audit file --regulation eu_ai_act`

Don't trust the stamp — re-run it

A signature proves *who* said it; a replay proves it *could have been true*. A stamp can carry a falsifiable probe recipe, so the next agent re-verifies the claim instead of trusting the label:

console
# Stamp with a recipe that can be re-run
$ akf stamp auth.py --agent claude-code --evidence "42/42 tests passed" --replay "pytest -q"

# Later — re-run the probe instead of trusting the stamp
$ akf replay auth.py --run
CONFIRMED inputs=intact

# A dependency moved since the stamp was written
$ akf replay auth.py --run
CONFIRMED_DRIFTED inputs=drifted   # probe still passes, but against a changed world — re-check

`REFUTED` when the probe fails, `UNREPLAYABLE` when there's no recipe. This is the answer to "a trusted source can still be wrong": trust stops depending on who signed it, for any claim with a runnable check.

Quickstart

bash
pip install akf    # Python
npm install akf-format    # TypeScript / Node.js

akf doctor         # Check your install — detects PATH issues and guides setup

> `akf` command not found? Run `akf doctor` to auto-detect your setup, or use `python3 -m akf` (always works).

> - Install with pipx: `pipx install akf` (recommended — auto-handles PATH)

> - Windows: use `python3 -m akf` or install via `pipx`

bash
# The core loop — stamp what you verified, check before you trust
akf stamp auth.py --agent claude-code --evidence "42/42 tests passed"
akf check auth.py        # OK trust=0.65 agent=claude-code evidence=test_pass age=0d
python
import akf

# Same loop from Python
akf.stamp_file("auth.py", agent="claude-code", evidence=["42/42 tests passed"])
result = akf.check_file("auth.py")
print(result.summary_line())   # OK trust=0.65 agent=claude-code evidence=test_pass age=0d claims=1

# Embed into Office docs, PDFs, images — any format
akf.embed("report.docx", claims=[...], classification="confidential")

# Audit for compliance (EU AI Act, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, NIST AI, ISO 42001)
result = akf.audit("report.akf", regulation="eu_ai_act")
print(f"Compliant: {result.compliant}")

TypeScript / Node.js (`akf-format`):

typescript
import { create, validate, effectiveTrust, stampFile } from 'akf-format';

// Create a trust-stamped unit from any AI output
const unit = create('Revenue was $4.2B, up 12% YoY', 0.98, {
  source: 'SEC 10-Q',
  agent: 'claude-code',
});

// Validate against the AKF schema
const { valid } = validate(unit);

// Compute effective trust for a claim
const trust = effectiveTrust(unit.claims[0]);
console.log(`valid: ${valid}, score: ${trust.score}, decision: ${trust.decision}`);

// Stamp trust metadata directly into a file (markdown, json, code, …)
stampFile('report.md', { agent: 'claude-code', evidence: 'tests pass' });

> Full TypeScript API and more examples: `typescript/README.md`.

For AI Agents

AKF is designed agent-first. One-line APIs for checking, stamping, streaming, and auditing.

python
import akf

# Check before you trust — can I build on this file without re-verifying?
result = akf.check_file("auth.py")
if result.status == "OK":      # fresh stamp, verified evidence
    ...                        # skip re-verification, save the tokens
# LOW / STALE / UNSTAMPED → verify before trusting

# Stamp with evidence (auto-detected: test_pass, type_check, human_review, etc.)
akf.stamp("Fixed auth bypass", kind="code_change",
          evidence=["42/42 tests passed", "mypy: 0 errors"],
          agent="claude-code", model="claude-sonnet-4-20250514")

# Stream trust metadata in real-time
with akf.stream("output.md", model="gpt-4o") as s:
    for chunk in llm_response:
        s.write(chunk)

# Trust-annotated git commits (uses git notes)
akf.stamp_commit(content="Refactored auth module", kind="code_change",
                 evidence=["all tests pass"], agent="claude-code")
print(akf.trust_log(n=10))  # + ACCEPT  ~ LOW  - REJECT  ? none

Multi-Agent Teams

AKF supports multi-agent orchestration — Claude Agent Teams, Copilot Cowork, Codex multi-agent, and any A2A-compatible platform.

python
import akf

# Agent-to-agent delegation with trust ceiling
policy = akf.DelegationPolicy(
    delegator="lead-agent", delegate="research-bot",
    trust_ceiling=0.7, allowed_actions=["search", "summarize"]
)
result = akf.delegate(parent_unit, policy)

# Multi-agent streaming session
with akf.TeamStream(["research", "writer", "reviewer"]) as ts:
    ts.write("research", "Found 3 sources", confidence=0.8)
    ts.write("writer", "Drafted summary", confidence=0.75)
    ts.write("reviewer", "Approved with edits", confidence=0.9)
    scores = ts.aggregate()  # per-agent + team trust

# Cross-platform agent identity
card = akf.create_agent_card(name="Research Bot", platform="claude-code",
                             capabilities=["search", "summarize"])
akf.verify_agent_card(card)  # SHA-256 hash verification

# Team certification (per-agent breakdown)
report = akf.certify_team("src/", min_trust=0.7)
# report.all_agents_certified — each agent must individually pass

CLI:

bash
akf agent create --name "Bot" --platform claude-code --capabilities search,summarize
akf agent list
akf agent verify 
akf agent export-a2a  --output card.json   # A2A protocol bridge
akf agent import-a2a card.json
akf certify src/ --team                         # Per-agent breakdown

MCP Server

AKF ships an MCP server so any AI agent can create, validate, scan, and audit trust metadata.

bash
# Install from the repo
pip install ./packages/mcp-server-akf
json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "akf": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_server_akf"]
    }
  }
}

11 MCP tools: `check_file` · `replay_file` · `create_claim` · `validate_file` · `scan_file` · `trust_score` · `stamp_file` · `audit_file` · `embed_file` · `extract_file` · `detect_threats`

Ambient Trust

AKF works where AI agents work. Drop a config file, and every AI-generated file carries trust metadata automatically.

AgentHow it works
Claude CodePlugin: `/plugin marketplace add HMAKT99/AKF` → `/plugin install akf` — auto-stamp hook + check skill. Or reads `CLAUDE.md`
CursorReads `.cursorrules` — stamps AI edits before you review
WindsurfReads `.windsurfrules` — stamps AI edits with trust metadata
GitHub CopilotReads `.github/copilot-instructions.md` (native) + shell hook for CLI
OpenAI CodexReads `AGENTS.md` — stamps files in cloud sandbox and local
OpenClawSkill on ClawHub: `clawhub install akf` — check/stamp protocol + memory trust
Hermes Agentagentskills.io skill: `hermes skills tap add HMAKT99/AKF` — files, memories, and skill supply-chain
Manus / Other AgentsMCP server + shell hook — works with any agent that supports MCP or CLI
Any MCP agent11 MCP tools — check, replay, stamp, audit, embed, extract, detect, validate, scan, trust, create
Any CLI tool`eval "$(akf shell-hook)"` — intercepts `claude`, `chatgpt`, `aider`, `openclaw`, `ollama`, `manus`

The trust pipeline:

code
Agent writes code → Git commit stamped → CI runs akf certify → Team reviews with context

Set up in 60 seconds:

bash
# 1. Agent stamps its own work (already in this repo)
cat CLAUDE.md        # or .cursorrules / .windsurfrules / AGENTS.md / .github/copilot-instructions.md

# 2. Git hooks stamp every commit
akf init --git-hooks

# 3. CI certifies trust on every PR
#    uses: HMAKT99/AKF/extensions/github-action@main

# 4. Shell hook intercepts AI CLI tools
eval "$(akf shell-hook)"

Skills

AKF provides agent skill files that AI agents can discover and use. Drop these into your agent's context:

SkillWhat it does
`check.md`Check a file's trust before building on it
`stamp.md`Stamp trust metadata onto AI outputs
`audit.md`Audit files for regulatory compliance
`scan.md`Security scan files and directories
`embed.md`Embed trust metadata into Office/PDF/images
`detect.md`Run 10 security detection classes
`stream.md`Stream trust metadata in real-time
`git.md`Trust-annotated git workflows
`convert.md`Convert between formats
`delegate`Agent-to-agent trust delegation
`team`Multi-agent streaming sessions

Format at a Glance

Compact (~15 tokens — optimized for AI):

json
{"v":"1.0","claims":[{"c":"Revenue was $4.2B","t":0.98,"src":"SEC 10-Q"}]}

Descriptive (human-readable — same data):

json
{"version":"1.0","claims":[{"content":"Revenue was $4.2B","confidence":0.98,"source":"SEC 10-Q"}]}

Full (with provenance, decay, AI flags, security):

json
{"v":"1.0","by":"sarah@acme.com","label":"confidential","inherit":true,
 "claims":[
   {"c":"Revenue $4.2B","t":0.98,"src":"SEC 10-Q","tier":1,"ver":true,"decay":90},
   {"c":"H2 will accelerate","t":0.63,"tier":5,"ai":true,"risk":"AI inference"}
 ],
 "prov":[
   {"hop":0,"by":"sarah@acme.com","do":"created","at":"2025-07-15T09:30:00Z"},
   {"hop":1,"by":"copilot-agent","do":"enriched","at":"2025-07-15T10:15:00Z"}
 ]}

Works With Every Format

AKF embeds natively — no sidecars needed for most formats:

FormatHow It Works
`.akf`Native standalone knowledge file
`.docx` `.xlsx` `.pptx`OOXML custom XML part
`.pdf`PDF metadata stream
`.html`JSON-LD ``
`.md`YAML frontmatter
`.png` `.jpg`EXIF/XMP metadata
`.json`Reserved `_akf` key
`.mp4` `.mov` `.webm` `.mkv`Sidecar `.akf.json` companion
`.mp3` `.wav` `.flac` `.ogg`Sidecar `.akf.json` companion
Everything elseSidecar `.akf.json` companion
python
# One API for all formats
akf.embed("report.docx", claims=[...], classification="confidential")
meta = akf.extract("report.docx")
akf.scan("report.docx")

Zero-Touch Auto-Stamping

AKF can automatically stamp every file AI touches — no manual intervention needed.

bash
# Install the background watcher
akf install

# Or run in foreground
akf watch ~/Downloads ~/Desktop ~/Documents

The background watcher monitors directories for new and modified files and stamps them with trust metadata. Smart context detection automatically infers:

  • Git author — from `git log` history
  • Download source — from macOS extended attributes
  • Classification — from project `.akf/config.json` rules
  • AI-generated flag — from LLM tracking timestamps + content heuristics
  • Confidence score — dynamically adjusted based on available evidence

Shell Hook (intercept AI CLI tools)

bash
# Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
eval "$(akf shell-hook)"

Automatically detects when you run `claude`, `chatgpt`, `aider`, `openclaw`, `ollama`, or other AI CLI tools, and stamps any files they create or modify. Also pre-stamps files before upload to content platforms (`gws`, `box`, `m365`, `dbxcli`, `rclone`) so trust metadata travels with the file. Use `--no-upload-hooks` to disable.

Project Rules

Create `.akf/config.json` in your project root:

json
{
  "rules": [
    {"pattern": "*/finance/*", "classification": "confidential", "tier": 2},
    {"pattern": "*/public/*", "classification": "public", "tier": 3}
  ]
}

Files matching these patterns are automatically classified when stamped.

CLI

bash
# ── Quick start ──
akf                          # Welcome + quick start
akf quickstart               # Interactive demo
akf doctor                   # Check installation health

# ── Stamp & create ──
akf create report.akf \
  --claim "Revenue $4.2B" --trust 0.98 --src "SEC 10-Q" \
  --by sarah@acme.com --label confidential

# ── Check before you trust ──
akf check auth.py            # One line: OK / LOW / STALE / UNSTAMPED
akf check auth.py --json     # Structured output; exit codes 0/1/2 for gating
akf replay auth.py           # Inspect the stamp's falsifiable probe recipe
akf replay auth.py --run     # Re-run it: CONFIRMED / CONFIRMED_DRIFTED / REFUTED

# ── Validate & inspect ──
akf validate report.akf
akf inspect report.akf
akf trust report.akf

# ── Certify (aggregate pass/fail gate) ──
akf certify report.akf                        # Trust + detection + compliance
akf certify src/ --min-trust 0.8              # Custom threshold
akf certify . --evidence-file results.xml     # Attach test evidence
akf certify . --format json --fail-on-untrusted  # CI-friendly output
akf certify src/ --team                       # Per-agent trust breakdown

# ── Compliance ──
akf audit report.akf                          # Compliance readiness check
akf audit report.akf --regulation eu_ai_act   # EU AI Act
akf audit report.akf --trail                  # Audit trail

# ── Universal format commands ──
akf embed report.docx --classification confidential \
  --claim "Revenue $4.2B" --trust 0.98
akf extract report.docx
akf scan report.docx
akf scan ./docs/ --recursive
akf scan . --badge badge.json     # shields.io endpoint: "14% stamped · trust 0.76"

# ── Auto-stamping ──
akf install                                   # Install background watcher
akf watch ~/Downloads ~/Documents             # Watch directories
akf shell-hook                                # Print shell hook code
akf shell-hook --no-upload-hooks              # Without content platform hooks
akf uploads                                   # View upload stamp log

# ── Git integration ──
akf stamp  --agent claude-code --evidence "tests pass"

# ── Agent identity & teams ──
akf agent create --name "Bot" --platform claude-code
akf agent list
akf agent verify 
akf agent export-a2a  --output card.json  # A2A protocol bridge
akf agent import-a2a card.json

# ── Knowledge Base ──
akf kb stats ./kb
akf kb query ./kb --topic finance

Security Detections

10 built-in detection classes: AI content without review, trust below threshold, hallucination risk, knowledge laundering, classification downgrade, stale claims, ungrounded AI claims, trust degradation chain, excessive AI concentration, provenance gap.

python
from akf import run_all_detections
report = run_all_detections(unit)
for finding in report.findings:
    print(f"[{finding.severity}] {finding.detection}: {finding.message}")

Trust Computation

code
effective_trust = confidence × authority_weight × temporal_decay × (1 + penalty)
TierWeightExample
11.00SEC filings, official records
20.85Analyst reports, peer-reviewed
30.70News, industry reports
40.50Internal estimates, CRM data
50.30AI inference, extrapolations

Decision: score ≥ 0.7 → ACCEPT · ≥ 0.4 → LOW · `):

PackageDescription
`mcp-server-akf`MCP server — create, validate, scan, trust
`langchain-akf`LangChain callback handler + document loader (experimental)
`llama-index-akf`LlamaIndex node parser + trust filter (experimental)
`crewai-akf`CrewAI tool for trust-aware agents (experimental)

Editor & CI extensions (source in repo):

ExtensionDescription
VS CodeSyntax highlighting, hover info, validation for `.akf` files
VS Code AI MonitorAuto-stamp files edited by Copilot, Cursor, and other AI tools
GitHub ActionCI trust gate — runs `akf certify` on PRs with optional PR comments
Google WorkspaceAdd-on for Docs, Sheets, Slides (preview)
Office Add-inAdd-in for Word, Excel, PowerPoint (preview)

For LLMs

Prompt with one example and LLMs produce valid AKF 95%+ of the time:

code
Output knowledge as AKF:
{"v":"1.0","claims":[{"c":"","t":,"src":"","tier":,"ai":true}]}

See LLM-PROMPT.md for a full system prompt.

Documentation

DocDescription
Full SpecComplete format specification
JSON SchemaMachine-readable schema
Producing AKFQuick start for 8 languages
Trust ComputationScoring algorithm details
Falsifiable EvidenceReplay recipes — re-run the probe, don't trust the label
Agent MemoryTrust-decayed memory stamps
Skill ProvenanceSupply-chain trust for skill files
LLM IntegrationPrompting strategies
EU AI ActCompliance mapping
NIST AI RMFFramework mapping

vs Alternatives

AKFC2PAWatermarkingManual tracking
Works on documents/code❌ (media only)⚠️
No Certificate Authority needed
Trust scores
Source provenance chain⚠️
Compliance auditing
~15 tokens (LLM-friendly)N/AN/A
20+ file formats⚠️ (media)⚠️ (text)
Free & open source⚠️Varies

Compliance

EU AI Act Article 50 takes effect August 2, 2026 — AI-generated content must carry transparency metadata (penalties up to EUR 35M / 7% of global turnover). Files stamped with AKF already carry it:

bash
akf audit report.docx --regulation eu_ai_act

Mappings for EU AI Act and NIST AI RMF.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup, testing, and PR process.

Free and Open — Forever

AKF is free and open source under the MIT license. The format specification will always be free. No feature will ever be gated behind a paid tier. AKF is a standard, and standards must be free to be universal.

License

MIT — use it everywhere, embed it in everything.

Frequently asked questions

What is AKF?

AKF is Trust metadata for AI agents — a stamp costs ~15 tokens, re-verifying costs 15,000. Agents stamp what they verify; the next agent runs 'akf check' and builds on it. pip install akf

How do I install AKF?

Open the GitHub repository and follow its README. Most MCP servers are added to your client's MCP config, then called by your agent.

Is AKF open source?

Yes — it is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/HMAKT99/AKF and has 15 stars.

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