QUOTEquote
The buyer agent sends a signed intent: product constraints, delivery window, spend ceiling, disclosure rules and proof of authority.
Modeled sequence · no invented latency claim
The conversation becomes the checkout.
This transcript illustrates a state the structural engine can produce. It is narrative scaffolding, not a measured transaction or a point forecast.
COUNTERcounter
The seller agent offers a lower price for flexible delivery, reserves inventory and attaches provenance, return and dispute terms.
ACCEPTaccept
The buyer agent evaluates total cost and policy fit, chooses a rail, and binds the user’s delegated budget to these terms.
SETTLEsettle
Payment, receipt and fulfillment commitments clear together; both agents retain a portable audit trail for exceptions.
Four failure modes the transaction creates
More autonomy moves the bottleneck.
Authority launderingA chain of delegates obscures who authorized the spend and who can revoke it.
Algorithmic collusionBuyer and seller agents learn strategies that quietly reduce competition or discriminate.
Synthetic supplyMachine-generated catalogs and reputation overwhelm provenance and fulfillment signals.
Exception debtTiny autonomous commitments compound until returns, disputes or budget policy need a human.