Redrawing the AI Map: A Theory of Accountability Boundaries in Agentic Ecosystems
Quick Take
The article proposes a theory on accountability boundaries in AI ecosystems, focusing on modularization and responsibility.
Key Points
- Introduces accountability assets for AI outputs.
- Identifies three boundary strategies: component, integrated, dual-track.
- Explains rule debt and its governance implications.
Article Content
From source RSS / original summaryarXiv:2605. 23179v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Agentic AI orchestrators reduce the interface and assembly costs of composing information systems capabilities across organizational boundaries, seemingly accelerating modularization and organizational disaggregation. Yet AI-enabled capabilities whose outputs require evidence, review, signoff, or assignable responsibility may retain integrated accountability boundaries even when their technical interfaces become modular.
We develop a capability-level theory of accountability-boundary placement in agentic ecosystems. We introduce accountability assets: complementary assets that make AI-supported outputs legitimate, auditable, reviewable, and assignable to a responsible party. We argue that verification cost and responsibility transferability determine whether the execution and accountability boundaries can move together. The theory identifies three boundary strategies: component, integrated, and dual-track.
It also introduces rule debt, the governance burden that accrues when organizational decision rules migrate from formal information systems into ungoverned agentic execution environments.
Integrating digital innovation, transaction cost, complementary-assets, digital platform governance, and IS control perspectives, we develop seven propositions linking agentic assembly-cost reductions, accountability assets, appropriability, orchestrator intent capture, and boundary misconfiguration to boundary strategy, value appropriation, and rule debt. The theory explains when digital modularization extends to organizational disaggregation and when accountability keeps capabilities integrated.
Structured illustrations across document processing, legal services, audit, clinical decision support, and procurement discipline the boundary logic.
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