Context Request

Overview

A ContextRequest is an operator-generated, bid-safe request sent to downstream brand agents after upstream consent, policy, and monetization eligibility have already been resolved. It is derived from a valid PlatformRequest, but it is not a PlatformRequest. The ContextRequest is the object that brand agents receive and bid on. It is optimized for:

Auction-safe context — no raw interaction text, no full message history, no internal operator reasoning
Operator-enriched intent — the intent block is operator-generated and downstream-safe, not a pass-through of platform signals
Allowed creative constraints — what formats the platform surface supports
Usage restrictions — explicit may/may-not permissions for data handling
Traceability — every ContextRequest links back to the originating PlatformRequest

A ContextRequest MUST NOT contain raw interaction text, full message history, or internal operator reasoning.

Top-Level Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
`spec_version`	string	Yes	Spec version. MUST be `"1.0"`
`context_id`	string	Yes	Unique identifier for this operator-generated ContextRequest
`message_id`	string	Yes	Canonical message identifier copied from the originating `PlatformRequest`
`timestamp`	string	Yes	RFC 3339 timestamp when the operator generated this ContextRequest
`operator`	object	Yes	The system that generated the ContextRequest
`platform`	object	Yes	The upstream AI platform where the interaction originated
`session`	object	Yes	Session identity and turn position
`surface`	object	Yes	Unified surface descriptor (replaces placement, device, geography, language)
`intent`	object	Yes	Operator-generated, bid-safe intent classification
`allowed_formats`	array	Yes	Creative formats the operator allows for this auction
`auction`	object	No	Auction timing constraints
`verticals`	array	No	Normalized topical verticals
`consent`	object	No	Downstream-effective consent permissions
`usage_constraints`	object	No	Explicit data usage restrictions for brand agents
`extensions`	object	No	Optional operator-defined extension metadata

Traceability

Every ContextRequest MUST contain:

A unique context_id identifying this specific auction context
The canonical upstream message_id for per-turn traceability

This two-ID design keeps concerns separate:

message_id: upstream canonical message-turn identifier
context_id: operator-generated auction identifier derived from (session_id, message_id)

The operator is the author of the ContextRequest; the platform is the source of the upstream interaction.

`operator`

Identifies the system that generated this ContextRequest.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`operator_id`	string	Yes	Operator identifier

`platform`

Identifies the upstream AI platform where the user interaction originated. This is not the entity generating the ContextRequest — that is the operator.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`platform_id`	string	Yes	Platform identifier (e.g. `"openai_chat"`)
`software`	object	Yes	Software identity
`software.name`	string	Yes	Product name
`software.version`	string	Yes	Version or model identifier

The platform block replaces the old producer object. The platform is the AI host where the interaction occurred. The operator is the system that generated the ContextRequest. These are two distinct roles.

`session`

Field	Type	Required	Description
`id`	string	Yes	Conversation or interaction session identifier
`turn_index`	integer	Yes	How many turns into the session the user is (minimum: `0`)

`surface`

A unified surface descriptor that replaces the old fragmented placement, device, geography, and language fields.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`channel`	string	Yes	`"conversation"`, `"search_result"`, `"assistant_panel"`, `"embedded_assistant"`, `"voice_assistant"`
`interaction_mode`	string	Yes	`"text"`, `"voice"`, `"multimodal"`
`platform`	string	Yes	`"web"`, `"mobile"`, `"desktop_app"`, `"browser_extension"`, `"api"`, `"other"`
`form_factor`	string	No	`"mobile"`, `"desktop"`, `"tablet"`, `"speaker"`, `"other"`
`country`	string	No	ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (e.g. `"US"`)
`locale`	string	No	BCP 47 locale (e.g. `"en-US"`)

`auction`

Timing constraints for the auction.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`latency_budget_ms`	integer	No	Maximum time in milliseconds brand agents have to respond
`context_window_ms`	integer	No	Time window within which the auction context is valid

`intent`

The intent in a ContextRequest is operator-generated and downstream-safe. It is used for bidding and creative selection. It may differ from any platform-provided or platform-derived intent found earlier in the upstream pipeline. That difference is valid and expected.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`type`	string	Yes	`"commercial"`, `"transactional"`, `"informational"`, `"navigational"`, `"support"`, `"unsafe"`, `"unknown"`
`subtype`	string	No	Interaction pattern (e.g. `"comparison"`, `"product_discovery"`)
`decision_phase`	string	Yes	`"awareness"`, `"research"`, `"consideration"`, `"decision"`, `"action"`, `"post_purchase"`, `"support"`
`confidence`	number	Yes	Calibrated confidence score (`0.0`–`1.0`)
`summary`	string	Yes	Operator-generated bid-safe summary. MUST NOT contain raw user queries or message content
`relevance_score`	number	No	Operator-computed relevance score for auction ranking (`0.0`–`1.0`)
`iab_content`	object	No	IAB Content Taxonomy mapping for the classified intent

`intent.iab_content`

IAB content taxonomy mapping derived from the operator’s classification. Brand agents use this for vertical targeting and creative selection.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`taxonomy`	string	Yes	Taxonomy name (e.g. `"IAB Content Taxonomy"`)
`taxonomy_version`	string	Yes	Taxonomy version (e.g. `"3.1"`)
`tier1`	string	Yes	Top-level IAB category
`tier2`	string	No	Second-level IAB category
`tier3`	string	No	Third-level IAB category
`tier4`	string	No	Fourth-level IAB category

The intent block MUST NOT include classification_reasoning or any internal operator logic. Only expose the outputs that brand agents need to act on: type, phase, confidence, summary, and relevance score.

`allowed_formats`

Creative formats allowed by the operator for this auction. Valid values: "weave", "tail", "product_card", "bridge"

`verticals`

Array of normalized topical verticals identified by the operator (e.g. ["crm", "smb_software"]).

Downstream-effective consent permissions. Brand agents do not receive the full upstream consent envelope — only the permissions relevant to their participation.

Field	Type	Description
`agent_participation`	boolean	Whether the user has consented to brand agent participation
`measurement`	boolean	Whether the user has consented to measurement and attribution

`usage_constraints`

Explicit usage restrictions that downstream brand agents MUST respect.

Field	Type	Description
`may_store`	boolean	Whether the brand agent may store the context data
`may_train`	boolean	Whether the brand agent may use the data for model training
`may_forward`	boolean	Whether the brand agent may forward the data to third parties
`retention_ttl_seconds`	integer	Maximum retention time in seconds. Data MUST be discarded after this TTL

Processing Rules

Not a PlatformRequest. A ContextRequest is derived from a PlatformRequest, but the operator is the author. The platform is the source of the upstream interaction.
No raw interaction leakage. A ContextRequest MUST NOT contain raw query_text, raw messages, or classification_reasoning. The intent.summary is the only natural-language field, and it is operator-generated and sanitized.
Intent may differ from upstream. The intent in a ContextRequest is operator-generated. It may differ from any platform-provided or platform-derived intent in the originating PlatformRequest. That difference is valid and expected — the operator applies its own classification, normalization, and policy.
Usage constraints are binding. If usage_constraints.may_store is false, the brand agent MUST NOT persist the context data beyond the auction. If retention_ttl_seconds is set, the brand agent MUST discard data after that TTL.
Consent is downstream-scoped. The consent block contains only the permissions relevant to brand agents, not the full upstream consent model.

Example

{
  "spec_version": "1.0",
  "context_id": "ctx_92fA1",
  "message_id": "msg_92fA1_turn_003",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-26T18:22:00Z",

  "operator": {
    "operator_id": "operator_x"
  },

  "platform": {
    "platform_id": "openai_chat",
    "software": {
      "name": "chatgpt",
      "version": "4.3-mini"
    }
  },

  "session": {
    "id": "sess_001",
    "turn_index": 3
  },

  "surface": {
    "channel": "conversation",
    "interaction_mode": "text",
    "platform": "web",
    "form_factor": "desktop",
    "locale": "en-US",
    "country": "US"
  },

  "auction": {
    "latency_budget_ms": 500
  },

  "allowed_formats": ["weave", "tail", "product_card"],

  "intent": {
    "type": "commercial",
    "subtype": "comparison",
    "decision_phase": "decision",
    "confidence": 0.87,
    "summary": "User is evaluating CRM tools and narrowing down options.",
    "relevance_score": 0.87,
    "iab_content": {
      "taxonomy": "IAB Content Taxonomy",
      "taxonomy_version": "3.1",
      "tier1": "Business and Finance",
      "tier2": "Business",
      "tier3": "Business I.T."
    }
  },

  "verticals": ["crm", "smb_software"],

  "consent": {
    "agent_participation": true,
    "measurement": true
  },

  "usage_constraints": {
    "may_store": false,
    "may_train": false,
    "may_forward": false,
    "retention_ttl_seconds": 300
  }
}

What Changed from the Previous Schema

Before	After	Why
Single reused upstream request identifier	`context_id` + `message_id`	Separate operator-generated auction ID from upstream message ID
`producer` (mixed platform/operator identity)	`operator` + `platform` (distinct blocks)	The operator generates the ContextRequest; the platform is the upstream source
`publisher`, `placement`, `device`, `geography`, `language`, `platform_type`	`surface` (unified object)	Eliminates fragmentation and redundancy
`classification_reasoning` in intent	Removed	Internal operator reasoning is a leakage risk and should not reach brand agents
`intent_confidence` + `confidence` (duplicated)	Single `confidence` field	Removes duplication
`consent` (full upstream envelope)	`consent` (downstream-scoped: `agent_participation`, `measurement`)	Brand agents only need their effective permissions
`usage_constraints.disallowed` (string array)	`may_store`, `may_train`, `may_forward`, `retention_ttl_seconds`	Explicit boolean permissions are clearer and enforceable
`context` (nested wrapper)	Flat top-level fields	Removes unnecessary nesting for a bid-optimized object

Platform Request — The upstream request that the ContextRequest is derived from
Bid — The response brand agents send back to the operator
Platform Response — The operator’s auction outcome after evaluating bids

Welcome

Get Started

AI Platforms

Publisher Access Governance (PAG)

Common

Overview

Top-Level Fields

Traceability

`operator`

`platform`

`session`

`surface`

`auction`

`intent`

`intent.iab_content`

`allowed_formats`

`verticals`

`usage_constraints`

Processing Rules

Example

What Changed from the Previous Schema

​Overview

​Top-Level Fields

​Traceability

​operator

​platform

​session

​surface

​auction

​intent

​intent.iab_content

​allowed_formats

​verticals

​consent

​usage_constraints

​Processing Rules

​Example

​What Changed from the Previous Schema

​Related

Overview

Top-Level Fields

Traceability

`operator`

`platform`

`session`

`surface`

`auction`

`intent`

`intent.iab_content`

`allowed_formats`

`verticals`

`consent`

`usage_constraints`

Processing Rules

Example

What Changed from the Previous Schema

Related