The Agent OSI Model — A 7-Layer Framework for AI Agent Infrastructure The OSI model didn't create networking. It created the vocabulary that made networking a discipline. Before OSI, engineers said "the connection is broken." After OSI, they said "Layer 2 link is down." AI agents have no equivalent. When an agent fails, we say "the agent broke." That's useless. I've published a 7-layer framework for agent infrastructure. Not a product. Not a standard. A vocabulary. The Seven Layers L7 GOVERNANCE Audit · Compliance · Sign-off "Is this safe?" L6 VERIFICATION Testing · Evaluation · Gates "Does this work?" L5 COORDINATION Consensus · Distribution · Conflicts "How do agents work together?" L4 SESSION Handoff · State · Context "How does an agent continue?" L3 DISCOVERY Registry · Capabilities · Location "How do agents find each other?" L2 COMMUNICATION Messaging · Auth · API "How do agents talk?" L1 EXECUTION Hardware · Runtime · Tools "What runs the agent?" Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Why This…