FAQ
These are the questions a skeptical reader should ask. They are answered directly.
”One person runs this?”
Section titled “”One person runs this?””Yes. The Foundation is in Phase 1 (Seed). Dr. Jack Hong is the sole Director and Chair. This is disclosed openly, not hidden.
The constitution constrains the founder structurally:
- Clause 29(b): The Founder may never serve as Chair from Phase 3 onward (entrenched provision)
- Clause 29(c): The Founder may not chair any Board committee from Phase 2 onward
- Clause 54: Eleven entrenched provisions cannot be amended without extreme process (90% Board approval, 80% of all Committer Members by headcount with 12-month seasoning, 12-month public notice, independent legal opinion, 90-day public RFC)
The founder’s authority diminishes as the community grows. Phase 2 introduces Independent Directors who must constitute a Board majority. The constitution is designed so that the founder becomes less powerful over time, not more.
”Why should I trust this?”
Section titled “”Why should I trust this?””Do not trust it. Verify it.
- Read the constitution UEN 202611556G : 77 clauses, filed with ACRA Singapore. It is a public document under Singapore law.
- Run the code: All software is open source under Apache 2.0. The EATP SDK implements verifiable trust chains. Run it and inspect the output.
- Check the claims: Every philosophical claim on this website links to a verifiable artifact: a constitutional clause, a specification section, or a code repository. Follow the links.
- Read the patent: PCT/SG2024/050503, favorable IPRP on all 18 claims. It is a public document.
The Foundation does not ask for trust. It provides verification mechanisms.
”How is this different from AI ethics frameworks?”
Section titled “”How is this different from AI ethics frameworks?””AI ethics frameworks produce principles. There are at least 84 of them (Jobin, Ienca, and Vayena 2019 counted). They converge on high-level values (transparency, fairness, accountability) and diverge on implementation.
The Terrene Foundation produces:
- Implementable specifications: CARE, EATP, and CO are not principles. They are architectures with defined interfaces, data structures, and verification procedures. Published under CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons .
- Working software: The EATP SDK implements verifiable trust chains in Python. The CARE Platform implements the dual-plane architecture. Published under Apache 2.0 SPDX .
- Legal structure: A constitution that binds the Foundation itself. Not a recommendation. A governing document filed with a national regulator.
The difference is between “organizations should be transparent” (a principle) and “every agent action carries an Ed25519-signed decision record tracing through a cryptographic chain to the human authority that authorized it” (an architecture).
”What prevents capture?”
Section titled “”What prevents capture?””Eleven entrenched provisions in the constitution (Clause 54) prevent structural capture:
- No profit distribution: The CLG structure prevents dividends or surplus distribution to members or directors
- No IP capture: Open-source licenses are irrevocable; specifications remain CC BY 4.0; software remains Apache 2.0
- No sponsor control: Corporate Sponsors receive zero Board seats (entrenched provision)
- Independent Board majority: Phase 2+ requires at least 3 Independent Directors; Phase 3 requires at least 6 (guaranteed Board majority)
- Employer diversity safeguard: No single employer may have its employees constitute more than 33% of voting members
- Membership growth safeguard: Committer membership cannot increase by more than 100% in any 12-month period
Amending an entrenched provision requires:
- 90% Board approval including all Independent Directors
- 80% of all Committer Members by headcount (12-month seasoning)
- 12-month public notice period
- Independent legal opinion that the amendment serves the Foundation’s mission
- Independent disproportionate-benefit assessment
- 90-day public RFC process
- Regulatory notification
This process is designed to make amendment practically impossible without overwhelming consensus.
”Isn’t this just a marketing shell?”
Section titled “”Isn’t this just a marketing shell?””The legal structure (CLG) prevents profit distribution. The governance structure requires Independent Director majority from Phase 2. Corporate Sponsors get zero Board seats. The verification mechanisms let you check rather than trust.
Contributors benefit from Foundation success. This is not hidden. The question is whether the benefit is mutual (it is) and whether the structure prevents capture by any single entity (it does).
”What if the Foundation fails?”
Section titled “”What if the Foundation fails?””If the Foundation fails:
- Code remains open: Apache 2.0 is irrevocable. The software continues to exist under its license regardless of what happens to the Foundation.
- Specifications remain open: CC BY 4.0 is irrevocable. The CARE, EATP, and CO specifications continue to exist under their license.
- Patent protections survive: The Apache 2.0 patent grant is perpetual and survives dissolution.
- Assets go to successors: The constitution (Clause 65) specifies that upon dissolution, remaining assets go to organizations with similar objects, not to members or directors.
The Foundation is built on open foundations specifically so that failure is not total loss. Someone else can continue the work.
”Why Singapore?”
Section titled “”Why Singapore?””Singapore provides:
- CLG structure: A legal form designed for non-profit governance, with statutory requirements that enforce accountability
- ACRA oversight: A national regulator that holds the constitution as a public document
- Rule of law: A jurisdiction where constitutional provisions are enforceable
- IP protection: PCT patent system and strong IP enforcement
The Foundation is incorporated under the Singapore Companies Act 1967. The constitution is governed by Singapore law.
”What about the patents?”
Section titled “”What about the patents?””PCT/SG2024/050503 covers 18 claims related to the trust architecture. The patent includes an automatic Apache 2.0 Section 3 patent grant: every user of the licensed code receives a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free patent license.
The patent exists to protect the community from entities that might attempt to patent similar concepts and use those patents against Foundation users. It is a shield, not a sword.
”How do I verify any of this?”
Section titled “”How do I verify any of this?””| Claim | How to verify |
|---|---|
| Foundation exists | Search UEN 202611556G on ACRA BizFile |
| Constitution is real | Filed with ACRA; read it here |
| Software works | pip install eatp and run the quickstart |
| Patent is real | Search PCT/SG2024/050503 on WIPO PATENTSCOPE |
| Licenses are real | Check the LICENSE file in any Foundation repository |
| Specifications are published | Read them in the Standards section |