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Model-Harness Pair

The model-harness pair is the conceptual paradigm establishing that autonomous agent capability is not an inherent property of model weights alone, but an emergent property of the joint coupling between the foundation model and its execution harness. A foundation model produces reasoning and proposed actions, while the harness manages environmental feedback, state, memory, and verification. Even a highly capable foundation model will fail if deployed behind an ill-suited planner, memory system, or action protocol; conversely, an advanced harness can only unlock agent capability when the underlying model possesses the ability to interpret and follow the harness's protocol.

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Updated 2026-09-25

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Prep Sessions

Adaptive Agent Runtimes: Architecture, Synthesis, and State Control @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ch.1 Agent Harness Principles and Architecture - Adaptive Agent Runtimes: Architecture, Synthesis, and State Control @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Foundations of Agent Harnesses and Model-Harness Pairing - Adaptive Agent Runtimes: Architecture, Synthesis, and State Control @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ahead-of-Time versus Just-in-Time Harness Construction - Adaptive Agent Runtimes: Architecture, Synthesis, and State Control @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Four-Module Modular Harness Protocol - Adaptive Agent Runtimes: Architecture, Synthesis, and State Control @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

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