AI audit trail
Also known as: agent audit log · action traceability
An agent's audit trail is the record of what it did, when, and on what basis, kept in a form that can be shown to a third party.
The difficulty is not logging, it is making the log credible. A trace file that can be rewritten proves nothing: at best it demonstrates the good faith of whoever presents it.
Hence techniques that make tampering detectable: a digest per entry, a chain linking each entry to the previous one, and possibly an anchor deposited with a third party.
Several regulatory frameworks require traceability for high-risk systems without prescribing the technique. Making it tamper-evident is therefore a product choice, not a formal obligation.
What it means for a small business
The question a buyer asks is not "do you log" — everyone says yes — but "can you show me this log has not moved".
Related terms
So what actually applies to you?
A definition tells you what a term means, not what your organization must do. The assessment answers the second question — free, no credit card.
Updated September 1, 2026 · Educational definition; not legal advice.