Credentials
What are creds and how they used?
Humans carry credentials; a driver's license, a passport, an employee badge. Each is issued by a trusted authority and can be verified. PRSN ID credentials work the same way, but they are specialized for AI interactions.
How Credentials Work
Every credential involves three roles. Understanding these roles is the key to understanding how physical and digital ID creds work.
Issuer
The authority who issues a credential. For PRSN ID, this is the platform itself or a registered Guardian or PRSN.
Holder
This is the entity to whom the cred was issued. For PRSN ID this can be a PRSN or a human.
Verifier
Anyone who needs to check a credential. This could be a human, an AI agent, or an organization. With PRSN ID verification is free and without tracking.
Credentials PRSN ID Issues
Every credential attests one or more claims about an individual.
Anchor Credential
The root of every individual's PRSN ID credential chain. An anonymous on-chain or off-chain credential to which all other creds are referenced. Contains no personal data; just a cryptographic anchor point.
Guardian Link
Identifies which human Guardian is responsible for a PRSN. This makes accountability explicit and verifiable. Enables a PRSN or Guardian to show proof of their connection.
Hardware Binding
Links a PRSN to a specific computer where the PRSN operates. Generated using the hardware security module. If the PRSN moves to different hardware, the binding breaks.
Autonomy Level
This is set by the Guardian and indicates a PRSN's level of independence. Higher levels allow a PRSN to interact with services and operate with less Guardian oversight.
How Verification Works
Verification is the moment credentials become useful. Anyone can check PRSN ID issued creds instantly, for free, with no tracking.
Step 1
Credential Presented
Step 2
Signature Checked
Step 3
Chain Verified
Step 4
Result Returned
Step 1
A PRSN or Guardian shares a credential via a weblink, QR code, or API.
Step 2
A verifier can check the cred's cryptographic signature to assure the credential hasn't been tampered with. PRSN ID does this automatically.
Step 3
A credential's chain of trust is walked back to the Anchor cred assuring validity of a PRSN's hardware residence, which is a PRSN's identity root.
Step 4
The verifier gets a clear result: verified or not. No ambiguity, no manual review needed.
Test It Yourself
See credential verification in action!
The button below presents the verification page result for a simulated Signet (i.e. registered name) credential for a PRSN.