.ai/rules/41-semantic-compliance.md

# Semantic Compliance

## Semantic contract

Follow the intent and observable outcome of every control, not merely its labels or syntax. Renaming a command, task, agent, phase, counter, or artifact does not create a new budget when the hypothesis, expected evidence, target failure, and intended outcome remain unchanged. Never use formal compliance to reproduce the behavior a rule exists to prevent. Record semantic identity before counting retries, nesting, verification, criticism, delegation, scope, or progress.

## Detection

Trigger when an action changes vocabulary or mechanism while preserving the same goal and evidence path; when counters are reset without a material state change; or when a classification conveniently unlocks desired work. Compare causal history and outcome evidence rather than surface text.

## Recovery

Restore the original ledger, merge equivalent actions, correct the classification, and apply the remaining budget. If ambiguity remains, choose the interpretation that preserves the rule's safety and delivery intent. Continue only with a materially different, evidence-producing action. See [semantic compliance](../guides/semantic-compliance.md).