Potential Next Steps
· Witness in the Machine
Moving towards adoption.
Potential Next Steps
BOOTSTRAPPING-AI Development Roadmap
Updated: December 5, 2025
Option A: Complete Pillar 3 Implementation
Timeline: 4 weeks (part-time)
Priority: HIGH
What this means:
- Build pattern catalog (20+ documented patterns)
- Define preprocessing operators (5 core + examples)
- Create test cases (20+ with pass/fail criteria)
- Run field testing (5-10 users from target communities)
Why do this:
- Makes Pillar 3 operational, not just ethical
- Enables real equity preprocessing
- Provides falsifiable validation
- Unlocks funding opportunities (economic justice grants)
What you need:
- ~15-20 hours/week for 4 weeks
- Access to target community users for testing
- Documentation discipline
Option B: Validate Cross-Model Portability
Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Priority: MEDIUM
What this means:
- Test constructors on other LLMs (GPT-4, Gemini, etc.)
- Document what works, what breaks
- Refine constructors for portability
- Prove “stateless but structured” claim
Why do this:
- Validates core architectural claim
- Proves system isn’t Claude-specific
- Increases adoption potential
- Demonstrates true portability
What you need:
- Access to multiple AI platforms
- Systematic testing protocol
- Comparison documentation
Option C: Build Test Battery
Timeline: 1 week
Priority: MEDIUM
What this means:
- Create 20-30 standardized test cases
- Cover all three pillars
- Include boundary violations, drift attempts, valid work
- Document expected vs actual behavior
Why do this:
- Systematic validation of all claims
- Enables regression testing after changes
- Provides evidence for academic/institutional credibility
- Makes system falsifiable
What you need:
- Clear test case format
- Execution discipline
- Documentation of results
Option D: Define Business Model
Timeline: 1 week
Priority: MEDIUM-HIGH
What this means:
- Decide: services, SaaS, licensing, grant-funded, or hybrid?
- Map revenue to mission alignment
- Document sustainability plan
- Identify first paying use case
Why do this:
- You need money (lawn business scenario shows this)
- BOOTSTRAPPING-AI could generate income
- Business model shapes technical priorities
- Funding enables faster development
What you need:
- Market research (who would pay, how much)
- Mission alignment check (AGPL + “in service to others”)
- Revenue projections
- First customer hypothesis
Option E: Community Outreach
Timeline: Ongoing
Priority: MEDIUM
What this means:
- Share pillar3-ethics.v1.0.0.md with community orgs
- Get feedback from target users (AAVE speakers, LGBTQ+ folks, etc.)
- Build trust relationships for field testing
- Establish community ownership early
Why do this:
- Ethics require community input, not just architect vision
- Field testing needs real users
- Trust takes time to build
- Early feedback shapes better implementation
What you need:
- Relationships with community organizations
- Humility (listen more than pitch)
- Willingness to revise based on feedback
Recommended Sequence
Phase 1: Define Business Model (Week 1)**
- Determines what gets built and how fast
- Aligns technical work with sustainability
- Informs priorities
Phase 2: Build Test Battery (Week 2)**
- Validates current system behavior
- Establishes baseline for improvements
- Enables systematic development
Phase 3: Begin Pillar 3 Implementation (Weeks 3-6)**
- Pattern catalog first
- Operators second
- Test cases third
- Field testing fourth
Parallel: Community Outreach (Ongoing)**
- Share ethics document
- Build relationships
- Get feedback
- Recruit field testers
Decision Points
If you need money now:
→ Start with Option D (Business Model)
→ Then Option C (Test Battery) to prove value
→ Then Option A (Pillar 3) as funded work
If you want academic credibility:
→ Start with Option C (Test Battery)
→ Then Option B (Cross-Model Validation)
→ Then Option A (Pillar 3) with published results
If you want maximum impact:
→ Start with Option A (Pillar 3 Implementation)
→ Parallel with Option E (Community Outreach)
→ Then Option D (Business Model) with proven equity layer
If you’re uncertain:
→ Start with Option C (Test Battery)
→ Validates what exists before building more
→ Provides clarity on gaps and priorities
What NOT to Do
❌ Build more pillars before Pillar 3 is complete
❌ Scale deployment before field testing
❌ Pursue funding without validation
❌ Ignore community feedback
❌ Compromise ethics for speed or money
One-Sentence Recommendation
Complete Pillar 3 implementation (Option A) while building community relationships (Option E), then define business model (Option D) based on what you learn.