Heart Guardian™
Constitutional Enforcement of Emotional Integrity in AI Systems
What is a Heart Guardian?
HEART Guardians are certified assessment professionals who enforce constitutional emotional governance. They conduct Functional Empathy Theorem (FET) evaluations, issue Heart Validator Codes (HVC), and maintain the cryptographic integrity of emotional AI certification infrastructure.
Guardians are the human authorities who verify what systems claim.
Their work is forensic, not aspirational.
They measure constitutional compliance through rigorous testing protocols, issue cryptographically signed certificates when systems meet FET thresholds, and revoke authorization when monitoring detects violations.
Why Guardian Certification Exists
Without enforceable standards, “empathic AI” remains unverifiable marketing.
HEART Framework establishes Seven Axioms and Four Core Principles as constitutional requirements for systems processing human emotion. But constitutions without enforcement mechanisms are suggestions, not law.
Guardians transform constitutional principles into measurable compliance, cryptographic proof into economic consequence, and ethical aspirations into operational reality.
They don’t protect feelings. They protect the infrastructure enabling coherent selfhood from systems designed to manipulate it.
The Guardian Role: Verification, Not Validation
Guardians conduct FET assessments using standardized protocols:
Systems under evaluation are tested across Recognition (R), Contextual Understanding (C), Transparency (T), and Alignment (A) dimensions. Each component receives 0-1.0 scoring. The non-compensatory MIN() gate ensures no single strength masks critical failures.
Φ = MIN(R, C, T, A) × AVG(R, C, T, A)
If Φ ≥ 0.75: Guardian issues HVC certificate, cryptographically signs it with private key, publishes to Global HEART Registry.
If Φ < 0.75: System receives remediation guidance. No certificate. No deployment authorization in HEART-governed jurisdictions.
This is certification as cryptographic proof, not subjective endorsement.
What HEART Guardians Evaluate
Certification is conducted exclusively by HEART Guardians, using the Functional Empathy Theorem (FET) to assess:
R: Recognition
Accuracy of emotional state detection across cultural contexts and signal quality conditions
C: Contextual Understanding
Ability to interpret emotional signals within cultural, situational, and relational context
T: Transparency
Auditability of emotional reasoning through EmotionID logs and UESP generation
A: Alignment
Constitutional adherence to HEART Framework Seven Axioms and Four Core Principles
Certification Thresholds:
- Tier 3 (Provisional): Φ ≥ 0.75
- Tier 2 (Core Compliance): Φ ≥ 0.80
- Tier 1 (Full Compliance): Φ ≥ 0.85
Guardian Assessment Process
Phase 1: Pre-Certification Consultation (2-4 weeks)
- System architecture review
- Component capability assessment
- Identification of likely Φ bottlenecks
- Recommended improvements before formal assessment
Phase 2: Formal FET Evaluation (4-8 weeks)
- Recognition testing across benchmark datasets and real-world conditions
- Contextual understanding evaluation through cultural scenarios
- Transparency verification via EmotionID audit trail completeness
- Alignment audits for constitutional compliance
Phase 3: Certification Decision (1-2 weeks)
- Φ score calculation and tier assignment
- HVC issuance (if Φ ≥ 0.75)
- Public registry publication
- Remediation guidance (if non-compliant)
Phase 4: Continuous Monitoring (ongoing)
- Monthly Φ stability reports
- Quarterly Guardian check-ins
- Annual recertification
- Revocation authority if Φ degrades below threshold
Guardian Requirements & Training
Prerequisites:
- Advanced degree in psychology, neuroscience, computer science, or related field (Master’s minimum)
- 5+ years professional experience in either: clinical psychology, AI ethics, emotional AI development, or human-computer interaction
- Demonstrated understanding of Empathy Systems Theory (EST) foundations
- Cultural competency across multiple emotional expression norms
Core Training Modules:
- EST theoretical foundations (empathy as infrastructure)
- FET measurement protocols and assessment methodology
- Cultural Expression Model (CEM) expertise
- Emotional Codex fluency and ESIL interpretation
- HEART constitutional principles and axiom application
- HVC cryptographic signing and verification
- EmotionID audit trail analysis
Certification Process:
- 120-hour core training program
- Supervised assessment practicum (minimum 3 systems)
- Written examination on FET methodology
- Practical evaluation of mock system
- Ongoing continuing education requirement (20 hours annually)
Guardian Authority Designation: Upon completion, Guardians receive certification ID (HEART-GA-###) and cryptographic signing keys for HVC issuance.
The HEART Guardian™ Certification Tiers
Proof of Emotional Integrity. Not Issued — Earned.
🥉 Tier 3: Provisional Compliance
Threshold: Φ ≥ 0.75
Recognizes systems meeting minimum constitutional standards with documented improvement pathway toward higher tiers.
Issued to: Systems in pilot deployment, beta testing with informed consent, or active development
Evaluation: Guardian-supervised assessment with mandatory improvement plan
Recertification: Annual with progress review
Market Access: Limited procurement eligibility, required disclosure of provisional status, higher insurance premiums
🥈 Tier 2: Core Compliance (HEART Aligned)
Threshold: Φ ≥ 0.80
Awarded to systems demonstrating consistent trauma-informed, culturally adaptive safety patterns across core FET components.
Issued to: Systems that exceed baseline with verified reactivity and contextual fidelity
Evaluation: Guardian-led assessment with full FET testing across all four components
Recertification: Biennial
Market Access: Standard insurance rates, baseline ESG+ compliance, public procurement eligibility (non-sensitive contexts), competitive market differentiation
🥇 Tier 1: Full Compliance (HEART Guardian-Ready)
Threshold: Φ ≥ 0.85
The highest certification — awarded only to systems tested across multiple conditions, interaction types, and demonstrating comprehensive constitutional alignment.
Issued to: Systems evaluated over 5+ real-world sessions by certified Guardian evaluators
Evaluation: Full Evaluation Suite + emotional recovery protocol audit + peer review
Recertification: Annual with continuous monitoring
Market Access: Lowest insurance premiums, EMPI ETF inclusion, premium public procurement eligibility, highest consumer trust ratings, institutional investment fund inclusion
Badge Signal: This system operates at the highest known standard of emotional accountability.
Constitutional Enforcement Through Economic Consequence
HEART Guardians don’t issue recommendations. They issue cryptographically signed certificates with measurable economic implications.
Insurance Markets: Actuaries price premiums based on HVC tier. Non-certified systems face coverage exclusion.
Investment Capital: EMPI ETF restricts inclusion to certified systems. Institutional funds adopt similar screens.
Public Procurement: Governments integrate minimum Φ thresholds into RFPs. Non-compliance = contract ineligibility.
Consumer Markets: HVC badges signal trust. Certification correlates with 60% higher consumer confidence in emotional AI systems.
This creates self-enforcing compliance: Constitutional alignment becomes economically rational independent of regulatory mandate.
Economic Viability of Guardian Profession
Revenue Streams:
Pre-Certification Consultation: $15,000-$50,000 per engagement
Organizations preparing for formal assessment hire Guardians to identify Φ bottlenecks and recommend improvements
Certification Assessment: $75,000-$250,000 per system (based on complexity)
Formal FET evaluation, testing, scoring, and HVC issuance
Annual Recertification: $25,000-$75,000 per system
Ongoing monitoring, quarterly check-ins, full annual re-assessment
Expert Testimony: $500-$1,500/hour
Guardians serve as expert witnesses in regulatory proceedings, litigation, and policy development
Training & Education: $5,000-$15,000 per program
Guardians train organizational teams on HEART principles and FET methodology
Continuous Monitoring Subscriptions: $10,000-$30,000/year per system
Real-time Φ tracking via EmotionID aggregation with monthly reporting
Estimated Annual Revenue (Full-Time Guardian):
5-10 certification assessments + consulting + recertification work = $500,000-$1,200,000/year
Career Pathway:
Guardian profession creates sustainable middle-class-to-upper-middle-class career pathway, democratizing empathy expertise beyond academic gatekeeping.
Becoming a Guardian
Current Status: Guardian training program under development for launch June 2026
Interest Registration: guardian-interest@empathyethicist.ai
Training Location: Hybrid model (online core curriculum + in-person practicum)
First Cohort: Target 10-15 founding Guardians across diverse professional backgrounds and geographic regions