diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 7d74d31499..ca6c8d87e7 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 This file defines AI assistant guidance for this repository.
 
+## Policy
+
+For AI contribution governance (AI-assisted vs autonomous contribution rules), see `AI_POLICY.md`.
+
 ## Skill Locations
 
 Canonical skills live under:
diff --git a/AI_POLICY.md b/AI_POLICY.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6873836ab5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/AI_POLICY.md
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+# AI Contribution Policy
+
+This repository permits both AI-assisted and autonomous AI contributions.
+
+Core rule: if you submit it, you own it. If you merge it, you approve it.
+
+## 1) Contribution modes
+
+### AI-assisted
+A human author uses AI to draft/refactor/test/review/explain changes and remains responsible for the final PR.
+
+### Autonomous
+An agent/bot opens a PR with little or no human editing before opening the PR.
+
+## 2) Eligibility rules
+
+### AI-assisted eligibility
+Allowed by default when the contributor:
+- understands all material changes,
+- can explain non-trivial changes in their own words,
+- provides AI disclosure (including harness and model),
+- runs appropriate local validation,
+- keeps the PR reviewable.
+
+### Autonomous eligibility
+Baseline autonomous eligibility:
+- linked issue has **one or more** of: `help wanted`, `good-first-issue`, `ai-friendly`,
+- PR includes required autonomous AI disclosure,
+- PR follows the required validation loop in this policy.
+
+Standard repository merge gates still apply (required CI and human maintainer approval/merge).
+
+Autonomous PRs may be closed without detailed review if these conditions are not met.
+
+## 3) Labels: current reality and optional controls
+
+### Current labels used in this repo
+- `help wanted`: maintainers are open to outside contributions.
+- `good-first-issue`: suitable onboarding scope; also allowed for autonomous work.
+- `ai-friendly`: narrow, deterministic, low-risk, testable scope for AI-enabled contribution.
+- `security`: security-sensitive work; requires extra maintainer caution.
+
+### Optional control labels (if maintainers add them)
+If labels like `ai:autonomous-ok`, `ai:autonomous-blocked`, `ai:autonomous` are introduced later, maintainers may use them to tighten or route autonomous flow. Until then, they are not required for eligibility.
+
+## 4) Scope and risk boundaries for autonomous PRs
+
+### Usually allowed
+- docs fixes,
+- focused test additions/corrections,
+- small bug fixes with regression tests,
+- narrow refactors without behavior change,
+- small DX fixes,
+- small measured performance improvements.
+
+### Not autonomous-safe by default (needs explicit maintainer pre-approval)
+- authn/authz logic,
+- secret handling,
+- security-sensitive paths,
+- dependency/lockfile churn,
+- release/publishing logic,
+- CI/workflow logic,
+- packaging/bootstrap changes,
+- broad API changes,
+- multi-area refactors,
+- integrations requiring live credentials/paid external services.
+
+## 5) PR size and stacking expectations
+
+Prefer small PRs. For AI-generated change streams, prefer stacked PRs when it improves reviewability.
+
+Reviewability targets are change-type dependent, not a single hard cap.
+
+For docs-only, test-only, and narrow bug-fix PRs:
+- prefer very small diffs,
+- as a guideline, keep fixes focused (often <100 LOC implementation) with targeted tests/docs (can be larger, for example up to ~500 LOC), and
+- keep file count small when possible.
+
+For feature PRs:
+- larger diffs may be appropriate,
+- split work into coherent, reviewable slices (stacked PRs when helpful),
+- keep each slice tied to explicit acceptance criteria and validation.
+
+If a PR becomes too large/noisy to review effectively, maintainers may request it be split before deep review.
+
+## 6) Disclosure requirements
+
+### Material AI use (AI-assisted)
+PR must include:
+- tools/harness used,
+- model(s) used,
+- what AI changed,
+- what human reviewed/rewrote,
+- what was run locally,
+- what was deferred to CI.
+
+### Autonomous PRs (mandatory)
+PR must include:
+- linked issue,
+- agent identity,
+- tools/harness used,
+- model(s) used,
+- human merge owner,
+- change summary,
+- local checks run,
+- checks deferred to CI,
+- known risks/uncertainty,
+- attached execution plan (see section 7).
+
+### Commit attribution
+For material AI use, include `Assisted-by:` trailer(s) in relevant commits or equivalent explicit PR disclosure.
+
+## 7) Plan requirement for AI work
+
+When viable, use `ai/prompts/PLAN.md` as the plan template.
+
+Requirements:
+- Keep plan file under `plans/<task>/plan.md`.
+- Do **not** commit the plan file.
+- Attach the plan to the PR (for example, paste plan content in PR comment/body or upload as PR attachment).
+
+Purpose: make it auditable that specification conformance, testing, security review, and DRY/professionalism checks were performed.
+
+## 8) Required validation loop (repeat-until-stable)
+
+Do not run checks once and stop. Iterate until fresh analysis produces no significant new actions.
+
+Required loop:
+1. Confirm spec/acceptance criteria.
+2. Audit AI suggestions; verify and prioritize before acting.
+3. Use red->green flow when applicable:
+   - reproduce failure or define intended behavior,
+   - add/update failing test first,
+   - make smallest fix,
+   - add/tighten regression coverage.
+4. Run lint/type/tests relevant to scope.
+5. Run DRY/professionalism pass:
+   - remove duplication,
+   - improve naming/clarity,
+   - avoid unnecessary branching,
+   - split oversized logic when it improves readability.
+6. Run security/robustness pass:
+   - validate untrusted input,
+   - avoid secret leakage,
+   - avoid unsafe shell/deserialization,
+   - verify filesystem/network/permission boundaries,
+   - ensure intentional error handling.
+7. Re-run checks after refactors.
+8. Repeat steps 2-7 until no significant new findings remain.
+
+## 9) Local vs CI validation
+
+CI is required, but not a substitute for local validation.
+
+PR must explicitly state:
+- what ran locally,
+- what did not run locally,
+- what CI is expected to validate,
+- environment limits that blocked broader local validation.
+
+Repository-recommended local commands:
+
+```bash
+cd docker
+
+# Small CPU iteration
+WITH_BUILD=0 ./test-cpu-local-minimal.sh
+
+# Lint + typecheck
+WITH_BUILD=0 WITH_TEST=0 ./test-cpu-local.sh
+
+# Full CPU validation
+./test-cpu-local.sh
+
+# GPU-affecting changes
+./test-gpu-local.sh
+```
+
+## 10) Human review and merge rules
+
+- AI-assisted PRs require a human author of record.
+- Autonomous PRs require a named human merge owner.
+- No autonomous PR self-approval or self-merge.
+- Only human maintainers approve/merge autonomous PRs.
+- Maintainers may pause/limit autonomous flow at any time.
+
+## 11) Enforcement
+
+Maintainers may close PRs without detailed review when they are out of scope, undisclosed, low-signal, too large/noisy, or violate this policy/security boundaries.
+
+Repeated abuse may lead to loss of contribution privileges.
+
+## 12) Suggested disclosure block
+
+```md
+## AI Disclosure
+- Mode: AI-assisted / Autonomous / No material AI use
+- Agent identity:
+- Tools/harness used:
+- Model(s) used:
+- Human author of record:
+- Human merge owner:
+- Linked issue:
+- What AI changed:
+- What I personally reviewed or rewrote:
+- Local checks run:
+- Deferred to CI:
+- Plan attached (path or PR comment link):
+- Known risks / uncertainty:
+```
+
+## 13) Policy intent
+
+This policy is pro-quality, pro-accountability, and pro-automation in bounded places.
+
+AI should reduce mechanical work without shifting reviewer burden, increasing security risk, or lowering quality standards.
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index e18b2edff9..28e38557b3 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ We follow [The Apache Software Foundation's code of conduct](https://www.apache.
 
 Developer communications should primarily live in GitHub issues and PRs, as this best helps with asynchronous communications and future reference
 
+## AI policy
+
+See [AI_POLICY.md](AI_POLICY.md) for repository policy on AI-assisted and autonomous AI contributions.
+
 ## Chat!
 
 When in doubt, [stop by the Slack channel](https://join.slack.com/t/graphistry-community/shared_invite/zt-53ik36w2-fpP0Ibjbk7IJuVFIRSnr6g)
@@ -61,4 +65,4 @@ The commit types are `fix()`, `feat()`, `infra()`, `garden()` / `refactor()`, `d
 **Automation**
 
 * PRs must pass CI, including style checks
-* Maintainers are responsible for publishing
\ No newline at end of file
+* Maintainers are responsible for publishing