PAI's independence depends on a simple rule: vendors, platforms, and commercial partners cannot buy influence over the PSF, PAI-8, Lab findings, ecosystem assessments, or credential standards.
The policy is intentionally direct because ambiguity is where conflicts of interest hide.
PAI does not accept sponsorship, grants, paid placements, or in-kind contributions from AI model providers, cloud platforms, agent framework vendors, or organisations whose commercial interests could influence framework content.
No vendor, partner, customer, or credential holder can pay to add, remove, weaken, or reword a PSF or PAI-8 requirement.
Ecosystem and Lab assessments are not marketing assets. Findings are published against criteria and may include gaps, limitations, or adverse results.
Credential items test transferable production AI judgement. They do not reward familiarity with a vendor's marketing language or private product roadmap.
PAI charges for some programmes. Fees do not buy influence over the standard, research, Lab findings, or assessment criteria.