01
Authorize one outer frame
A single Director decision and outer AgentJob own the read paths, write paths, validators, expected outputs, and stop conditions.
AI research-agent deep dive / PG-016
Parent-Child Parallel Synthesis
Parent-child synthesis adds internal analytical perspectives inside one outer physics AgentJob. It improves review coverage without creating extra jobs, child role records, child write authority, or independent child verdicts.
One outer AgentJob
Parent-child synthesis adds internal perspectives, not extra authority.
The pattern keeps one Director decision, one outer AgentJob, one execution-role record, one completion record, and one fused output. Child outputs are supporting draft/control artifacts inside that frame.
The diagram is a static reader aid. It does not replace the source files, route dossiers, or claim-status records that govern the topic.
Mechanism
How to read this surface.
02
Use child perspectives as draft/control support
Child units inspect the problem from bounded angles. Their outputs do not become independent role records or verdicts.
03
Review conflicts before PASS
A declared blocking conflict must be reviewed and resolved within the policy, or the job remains blocked.
04
Fuse one downstream output
The parent fuses shared consensus, unique contributions, and remaining limits into one final artifact for completion and handoff.
Terms
Define the loaded words before using them.
- Outer AgentJob
- The single executable contract that owns the current transaction's reads, writes, validators, expected outputs, and stop conditions.Child perspectives cannot add a second job.
- Child unit
- An analytical perspective used to inspect one problem from a specific angle.Its output is supporting draft/control, not an independent verdict.
- Fused output
- The one final artifact used for completion, handoff, and downstream reference.Supporting drafts do not replace it.
- Blocking conflict
- A declared disagreement that must be reviewed and resolved or leave the job blocked.PASS is invalid while it remains unresolved.
Boundaries
What this page must not imply.
- No extra jobs
- The external control record stays singularThe mode preserves one Director decision, one outer AgentJob, one execution-role record, one completion record, and one fused output.
- No independent verdicts
- Children inherit authorityChild perspectives inherit the same claim boundary, source restrictions, allowlist, validators, human-gate status, and stop conditions.
- No conflict bypass
- Blocking conflicts must be resolvedA parent cannot select a convenient child and ignore a declared blocking disagreement while still claiming PASS.
Safe reading
A useful summary also names the unsafe one.
- Safe summary
- Supported readingParent-child synthesis is an internal perspective structure inside one physics AgentJob; child outputs support parent review, and only the fused output enters completion and downstream references.
- Unsafe summary
- Forbidden shortcutParent-child synthesis creates extra jobs, extra role records, extra write authority, independent child verdicts, a path around conflict review, or a mandatory mode for all non-physics work.
Source basis
Use these as provenance, not primary navigation.
Source basis
Parent-child synthesis explainer
Generated noncanonical upstream explainer: github-facing/parent-child-synthesis-explainer.md.
Source basis
Director and AgentJob lifecycle
Internal route explaining the operational record chain this mode must preserve.
Open routeSingle outer frame
Parallel analysis preserves a singular control record.
The mode is useful only if the external control frame remains singular. Multiple perspectives are internal review coverage, not extra authority.
One decision
The Director selects one route
The parent-child mode starts after one Director decision selects one bounded outer AgentJob.
One AgentJob
The outer job owns authority
The read paths, write paths, validators, expected outputs, claim boundary, and stop conditions remain on the outer job.
One role record
Children do not get separate roles
Child labels describe analytical perspective only. They do not create child execution-role records.
One completion
PASS closes the outer job
A child output cannot independently certify PASS. Completion evidence belongs to the outer transaction.
One fused output
Only the fused artifact travels downstream
Child drafts support review. The parent-fused artifact is the downstream output for completion and handoff.
Lifecycle
Parent review, child drafts, conflict review, and fusion stay inside the job.
Child units surface pressure from bounded angles. The parent preserves disagreement long enough to inspect it, then fuses one downstream artifact.
Parent
Review and fusion
The parent enforces the shared boundary, reviews child outputs, preserves conflicts, and fuses the final artifact.
Children
Draft/control perspectives
Child units inspect the same problem from bounded angles. Their outputs are supporting draft/control artifacts.
Conflict
Blocking disagreements must be handled
A declared blocking conflict must be reviewed and resolved within policy, or the job remains blocked.
Fusion
Shared consensus plus limits
The fused output preserves shared consensus, unique contributions, and unresolved limitations.
Inherited authority
Every internal unit inherits the same boundary.
If actual authority expansion is needed, parent-child synthesis is the wrong mechanism. The project must route a new decision, job, or protected human gate.
Claim boundary
Same forbidden conclusions
Child units inherit the outer job's claim boundary. They cannot promote claims independently.
Source restrictions
Same evidence surface
Child perspectives inspect the allowed sources; they do not add new source classes.
Write allowlist
Same path boundary
Child outputs, conflict notes, fusion notes, and final artifacts must remain inside the outer job write paths.
Validators
Same receipt burden
The outer completion must account for the required checks; children do not define independent validators.
Human gates
No protected bypass
Parent-child synthesis cannot bypass ontology adoption, benchmark promotion, Gate Chair, or claim-promotion gates.
Stop conditions
Same fail-closed behavior
Unresolved blocking conflict, write-path drift, or authority expansion should stop or route a new packet.
Safe and unsafe summaries
The useful reading also names the forbidden shortcut.
The pattern is stricter than a loose parallel draft. PASS is invalid while a declared blocking parent-child conflict remains unresolved.
Safe summary
More perspectives inside one job.
Parent-child synthesis improves review coverage while preserving one outer AgentJob, one role boundary, one completion, and one fused output.
Unsafe summary
Parallel perspectives create parallel authority.
It would be unsafe to infer extra jobs, child role records, independent child verdicts, conflict bypass, or human-gate bypass.
Reader path
Use related internal routes before source inspection.
Internal pages explain the workflow first. Source links remain provenance for readers who need to inspect the committed materials.
Research-agent workflowRead the full request-to-record-chain workflow that parent-child synthesis must preserve.One bounded AgentJobInspect the permission envelope that the parent and children must stay inside.Roles and skillsReview why role labels do not become task authority by themselves.Director and AgentJob lifecycleReview the operational record chain: task, decision, job, completion, and handoff.Validator and operator workflowRead why PASS is blocked while declared blocking conflict remains unresolved.Source authorityKeep generated explainers and website pages below tracked source authority.