Extract from Olga V. Mack’s article, “B2B Agents Will Need More Than Machine-Readable Contracts.”
‘Market’ cannot become a substitute for judgment.
We have spent years trying to make contracts readable by machines. We extract clauses, identify obligations, classify risks, track dates, and convert dense agreements into structured data.
That work matters. But it solves only the first part of the problem.
A machine-readable contract can tell an AI agent that the agreement permits annual price increases of up to 5%. It can identify a 60-day renewal deadline, a liability cap equal to 12 months of fees, or a restriction on using customer data. These are useful facts.
