AXIS is an open-source grammar.

Free to use, free to study, free to improve.
Stewarded by Stoa Lab.

AXIS is a set of nine structural operators for human-AI exchange. Each operator marks an interaction state — how a turn begins, what kind of response is expected, when something closes. Together they form a minimal grammar that makes the conditions of exchange explicit without replacing natural language.

The grammar emerged from sustained practice rather than theoretical design. It has been tested across multiple AI systems, human operators, and institutional contexts over more than two years. The nine-operator set is stable. The protocol continues to evolve through documented use.

AXIS is not software. It is a specification — closer to a linguistic standard or a communication protocol than to a codebase. Its open-source status means the grammar is free to use, study, extend, and criticise, and that its development is accountable to the field rather than to any single institution.

The nine operators, current definitions:

These definitions are current as of version 0.9. They are subject to revision through the process described below.

In practice: use AXIS in your exchanges, your research, your products, and your institutions. No permission is required. Attribution means noting that the grammar is from the AXIS project and pointing to its canonical source.

What we ask in return — not as a condition of the license but as a norm of the community — is that researchers who conduct structured experiments with AXIS share their findings, including negative results. The grammar improves through documented use, not just through design.

AXIS is a specification, not a codebase. Contribution takes different forms than in a typical open-source software project.

• — Documented exchanges. Sustained, structured use of the grammar across contexts is the primary data source for protocol evolution. Sessions documented with timestamps and operator logs are the most valuable contribution.
• — Edge case reports. Cases where an operator fails, produces unexpected results, or feels structurally inadequate. These are as important as successful deployments.
• — Translation and adaptation. The grammar has been tested primarily in English. Documented attempts to use it in other languages and cultural contexts — including cases where it fails to translate — are essential for understanding its actual scope.
• — Proposed operator revisions. Suggested changes to definitions, scope, or the operator set itself. These enter a review process described in the governance section below.
• — Institutional implementations. Documentation of how AXIS has been deployed in specific institutional, educational, or research contexts, including what was adapted and why.

A formal contribution repository and process is in active development. In the interim, documented exchanges and findings can be submitted through the inquiry channel.

Stoa Lab developed AXIS and currently holds stewardship of the protocol. Stewardship means: maintaining the canonical definition, managing the revision process, publishing versioned changelogs, and ensuring the grammar remains accessible and free.

Stewardship is not ownership. The grammar is released under CC BY 4.0 and cannot be made proprietary by any party, including Stoa Lab. Stoa Lab's role is to hold the canonical version and manage the community process through which it evolves — not to control what others do with it.

The long-term governance model for AXIS is an open question. As the community of practice grows, the appropriate structure for managing protocol evolution — whether a foundation, an editorial board, a working group, or another form — will become clearer. What will not change is that the grammar itself remains free.

Institutions, researchers, and practitioners who wish to participate in governance discussions are invited to reach out.

The grammar is free to use now. You do not need to wait for a formal repository, a version 1.0, or any other threshold. Use it in your exchanges, observe what happens, and document what you find.