VAP: A Universal Framework for AI Flight Recorders

Airplanes Have Flight Recorders. Why Don't AI Systems?

On May 6, 2010, the Dow Jones plunged 1,000 points in minutes—erasing $1 trillion in market value. When regulators investigated, they faced a fundamental problem: there was no tamper-proof record of what the algorithms had actually done.

Fast forward to today. AI systems make millions of consequential decisions every second—trading algorithms, medical diagnoses, autonomous vehicles, credit scoring. Almost none of them have what airplanes have had since 1956: a flight recorder.

We're building VAP (Verifiable AI Provenance Framework) to change that.

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The Problem: Trust Without Verification

Every AI system has logs. But those logs share a fatal flaw: they can be modified after the fact.

A database entry can be changed. A timestamp can be adjusted. A record can be deleted. When something goes wrong—and something always goes wrong—how do we know the logs actually reflect what happened?

The answer, in most cases, is: we don't.

We trust. We trust that the company providing the logs hasn't modified them. We trust that timestamps are accurate. We trust that nothing has been omitted.

But trust isn't proof. And in a world where AI systems operate faster than human comprehension, trust isn't enough.

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What is VAP?

VAP (Verifiable AI Provenance Framework) is a cross-domain meta-standard for cryptographically verifiable AI decision trails.

Think of VAP as the abstract specification that defines what an AI flight recorder must do—regardless of whether it's recording trading algorithms, autonomous vehicles, or medical AI systems.

The VAP Hierarchy

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│   VAP (Verifiable AI Provenance Framework)                  │
│   ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━                  │
│   Cross-domain meta-standard                                │
│   Defines: what constitutes verifiable AI provenance        │
│                                                             │
│                          │                                  │
│                          │ maintained by                    │
│                          ▼                                  │
│                                                             │
│   VSO (VeritasChain Standards Organization)                 │
│   ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━                  │
│   Standards body (like W3C for web, IETF for networking)    │
│                                                             │
│                          │                                  │
│                          │ publishes domain profiles        │
│                          ▼                                  │
│                                                             │
│   ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐          │
│   │   VCP   │ │   DVP   │ │   MAP   │ │   EIP   │   ...    │
│   │ Finance │ │  Auto   │ │ Medical │ │ Energy  │          │
│   └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

VAP itself is domain-agnostic. The domain-specific implementations are called Profiles:

Profile	Domain	Use Case
VCP (VeritasChain Protocol)	Finance	Algorithmic trading audit trails
DVP (Driving Vehicle Protocol)	Automotive	Autonomous vehicle decision logs
MAP (Medical AI Protocol)	Healthcare	Diagnostic AI explainability
PAP (Public Administration Protocol)	Government	AI-assisted policy decisions
EIP (Energy Infrastructure Protocol)	Energy	Smart grid AI monitoring

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The Five-Layer Architecture

VAP defines five mandatory layers that every compliant implementation must support:

Layer 1: Cryptographic Foundation

The base layer ensures tamper-evidence through proven cryptographic primitives:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Algorithm     │ Purpose       │ Status     │ PQ-Safe?     │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SHA3-256      │ Hash          │ REQUIRED   │ Yes          │
│ Ed25519       │ Signature     │ REQUIRED   │ No           │
│ DILITHIUM2    │ Signature     │ FUTURE     │ Yes          │
│ UUIDv7        │ Time-ordered ID│ REQUIRED  │ N/A          │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Crypto Agility is a core requirement—all VAP implementations MUST support algorithm migration for the inevitable post-quantum transition.

Layer 2: Provenance (Who Did What)

This layer captures the decision context in a domain-agnostic structure:

{
  "provenance": {
    "actor": {
      "type": "AI_MODEL",
      "identifier": "algo-v2.3.1-prod",
      "version": "2.3.1",
      "hash": "sha3-256:8f14e45f..."
    },
    "input": {
      "sources": ["market_data_feed", "risk_params_v4"],
      "timestamp": 1702900800000,
      "hash": "sha3-256:2c26b46b..."
    },
    "context": {
      "parameters": { "max_position": 10000, "risk_limit": 0.02 },
      "constraints": { "trading_hours": true, "circuit_breaker": false }
    },
    "action": {
      "type": "ORDER_DECISION",
      "decision": { "action": "BUY", "symbol": "AAPL", "quantity": 100 },
      "confidence": "0.87",
      "explainability": {
        "method": "SHAP",
        "factors": ["momentum_signal", "volume_surge", "sector_correlation"]
      }
    },
    "outcome": {
      "result": { "order_id": "ORD-123456", "status": "FILLED" },
      "timestamp": 1702900800050,
      "status": "SUCCESS"
    }
  }
}

This abstract model maps to domain-specific implementations:

VAP Abstract	VCP (Finance)	DVP (Automotive)	MAP (Medical)
actor	Algorithm/Trader	AutonomousSystem	DiagnosticAI
input	MarketData	SensorData/LIDAR	PatientData/Imaging
context	RiskParameters	EnvironmentConditions	PatientHistory
action	TradeDecision	DrivingAction	Diagnosis
outcome	Execution	VehicleState	Treatment

Layer 3: Integrity (Tamper-Evidence)

The integrity layer makes any modification mathematically detectable:

Event N-1                    Event N                      Event N+1
┌─────────────────┐         ┌─────────────────┐         ┌─────────────────┐
│ event_id        │         │ event_id        │         │ event_id        │
│ prev_hash ──────┼────────►│ prev_hash ──────┼────────►│ prev_hash       │
│ payload         │         │ payload         │         │ payload         │
│ signature       │         │ signature       │         │ signature       │
└─────────────────┘         └─────────────────┘         └─────────────────┘
        │                           │                           │
        └───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────┘
                                    ▼
                            ┌─────────────┐
                            │ Merkle Root │
                            │ (Anchored)  │
                            └─────────────┘

• Hash chains link every event to its predecessor
• Merkle trees enable efficient batch verification
• External anchoring provides independent timestamp proof

Layer 4: Time (Precision Timestamps)

For high-frequency systems, sub-millisecond precision is critical:

{
  "timing": {
    "event_time": 1702900800123456789,  // nanosecond precision
    "clock_source": "PTP",               // IEEE 1588-2019
    "uncertainty_ns": 100,               // ±100ns
    "sync_status": "LOCKED"
  }
}

VAP supports three tiers of time precision:

Tier	Source	Precision	Use Case
Tier 1	GPS/PTP	≤1μs	HFT, Autonomous Vehicles
Tier 2	NTP	≤10ms	General Enterprise
Tier 3	System Clock	Best Effort	Development/Testing

Layer 5: Lifecycle (Retention & Deletion)

This layer addresses a critical regulatory requirement: GDPR-compliant crypto-shredding.

{
  "retention": {
    "policy_id": "GDPR-STANDARD-7Y",
    "retention_period_days": 2555,
    "deletion_method": "CRYPTO_SHRED",
    "key_escrow": "HSM_CLUSTER_EU"
  }
}

When data must be deleted, instead of destroying records (which would break hash chains), you destroy the encryption key. The data becomes mathematically unrecoverable while the chain remains intact for audit purposes.

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Why VAP Matters for Developers

1. Regulatory Compliance is Coming

EU AI Act Article 12 explicitly requires tamper-resistant logging for high-risk AI systems. Implementations in 2026-2027.

MiFID II already requires algorithmic trading firms to maintain detailed records. VAP provides a standard way to prove those records haven't been altered.

GDPR Article 17 (Right to Erasure) creates a conflict with immutable audit logs. VAP's crypto-shredding pattern solves this.

2. Defense Against "The Algorithm Did It"

When AI systems cause harm, the first defense is always: "We don't know exactly what happened."

VAP eliminates this excuse. Every decision, every input, every output—cryptographically linked and independently verifiable.

3. Interoperability Across Domains

A trading firm, a hospital, and an autonomous vehicle manufacturer can all speak the same provenance language. This enables:

• Cross-domain audit tooling
• Regulatory frameworks that reference a single standard
• Insurance and liability systems with verifiable evidence

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Quick Start: Python Example

Here's a minimal VAP-compliant event generator:

import hashlib
import json
import uuid
from datetime import datetime
from typing import Optional

class VAPEvent:
    def __init__(
        self,
        event_type: str,
        actor_id: str,
        payload: dict,
        prev_hash: Optional[str] = None
    ):
        self.event_id = str(uuid.uuid7())  # RFC 9562 time-ordered
        self.timestamp = datetime.utcnow().isoformat() + "Z"
        self.event_type = event_type
        self.actor_id = actor_id
        self.payload = payload
        self.prev_hash = prev_hash or "GENESIS"
        self.hash = self._compute_hash()

    def _compute_hash(self) -> str:
        # RFC 8785 canonical JSON
        canonical = json.dumps({
            "event_id": self.event_id,
            "timestamp": self.timestamp,
            "event_type": self.event_type,
            "actor_id": self.actor_id,
            "payload": self.payload,
            "prev_hash": self.prev_hash
        }, sort_keys=True, separators=(',', ':'))

        return hashlib.sha3_256(canonical.encode()).hexdigest()

    def to_dict(self) -> dict:
        return {
            "event_id": self.event_id,
            "timestamp": self.timestamp,
            "event_type": self.event_type,
            "actor_id": self.actor_id,
            "payload": self.payload,
            "prev_hash": self.prev_hash,
            "hash": self.hash
        }


class VAPChain:
    def __init__(self):
        self.events = []
        self.last_hash = None

    def append(self, event_type: str, actor_id: str, payload: dict) -> VAPEvent:
        event = VAPEvent(
            event_type=event_type,
            actor_id=actor_id,
            payload=payload,
            prev_hash=self.last_hash
        )
        self.events.append(event)
        self.last_hash = event.hash
        return event

    def verify_integrity(self) -> bool:
        """Verify entire chain integrity"""
        for i, event in enumerate(self.events):
            # Recompute hash
            recomputed = event._compute_hash()
            if recomputed != event.hash:
                return False

            # Verify chain linkage
            if i > 0 and event.prev_hash != self.events[i-1].hash:
                return False

        return True


# Usage Example
if __name__ == "__main__":
    chain = VAPChain()

    # AI decision event
    chain.append(
        event_type="AI_DECISION",
        actor_id="trading-algo-v2",
        payload={
            "input_hash": "sha3-256:abc123...",
            "decision": "BUY",
            "confidence": 0.87,
            "factors": ["momentum", "volume"]
        }
    )

    # Execution event
    chain.append(
        event_type="EXECUTION",
        actor_id="broker-gateway",
        payload={
            "order_id": "ORD-12345",
            "status": "FILLED",
            "price": 150.25,
            "quantity": 100
        }
    )

    # Verify chain
    print(f"Chain valid: {chain.verify_integrity()}")

    # Tamper detection demo
    chain.events[0].payload["decision"] = "SELL"  # Tamper!
    print(f"Chain valid after tampering: {chain.verify_integrity()}")

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The Road to Standardization

VAP is designed for international standardization:

Target	Timeline	Status
IETF Internet-Draft	2025 Q3	Planned
ISO/TC 68 (Financial Services)	2026	Planned
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 (AI)	2026-2027	Planned
IEEE Standards Association	2027+	Under consideration

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Get Involved

VAP is open source under CC BY 4.0. We're looking for:

• Domain experts to contribute to profile specifications (medical, automotive, energy)
• Cryptographers to review post-quantum migration paths
• Developers to build SDKs in additional languages
• Regulators to provide feedback on compliance alignment

Resources

• 🌐 Website: veritaschain.org
• 📦 GitHub: github.com/veritaschain
• 📧 Technical: [e-mail]
• 📧 Standards: [e-mail]

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Final Thought

Every critical infrastructure eventually gets its flight recorder—but only after catastrophe teaches us we need one.

Aviation learned through 128 deaths in the 1956 Grand Canyon collision. Nuclear power learned through Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.

Our generation is building AI systems that make decisions faster than humans can think, at scales affecting billions of lives.

We can wait for the AI equivalent of a plane crash. Or we can build the flight recorder now.

The choice is ours.

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"Encoding Trust in the AI Age"

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About the Author: The VeritasChain Standards Organization (VSO) is developing open standards for cryptographically verifiable AI provenance. VCP (VeritasChain Protocol) is the first production-ready profile, focused on algorithmic trading. The specification has been submitted to regulatory authorities in 37 jurisdictions.