acc-error-memory

# Anterior Cingulate Memory ⚡ **Conflict detection and error monitoring for AI agents.** Part of the AI Brain series. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) monitors for errors and conflicts. This skill gives your AI agent the ability to learn from mistakes — tracking error patterns over time and becoming more careful in contexts where it historically fails. ## The Problem AI agents make mistakes: - Misunderstand user intent - Give wrong information - Use the wrong tone - Miss context from earlier in conversation Without tracking, the same mistakes repeat. The ACC detects and logs these errors, building awareness that persists across sessions. ## The Solution Track error patterns with: - **Pattern detection** — recurring error types get escalated - **Severity levels** — normal (1x), warning (2x), critical (3+) - **Resolution tracking** — patterns clear after 30+ days - **Watermark system** — incremental processing, no re-analysis ## Configuration ### ACC_MODELS (Model Agnostic) The LLM screening and calibration scripts are model-agnostic. Set `ACC_MODELS` to use any CLI-accessible model: ```bash # Default (Anthropic Claude via CLI) export ACC_MODELS="claude --model haiku -p,claude --model sonnet -p" # Ollama (local) export ACC_MODELS="ollama run llama3,ollama run mistral" # OpenAI export ACC_MODELS="openai chat -m gpt-4o-mini,openai chat -m gpt-4o" # Single model (no fallback) export ACC_MODELS="claude --model haiku -p" ``` **Format:** Comma-separated CLI commands. Each command is invoked with the prompt appended as the final argument. Models are tried in order — if the first fails/times out (45s), the next is used as fallback. **Scripts that use ACC_MODELS:** - `haiku-screen.sh` — LLM confirmation of regex-filtered error candidates - `calibrate-patterns.sh` — Pattern calibration via LLM classification ## Quick Start ### 1. Install ```bash cd ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/anterior-cingulate-memory ./install.sh --with-cron ``` This will: - Create `memory/acc-state.json` with empty patterns - Generate `ACC_STATE.md` for session context - Set up cron for analysis 3x daily (4 AM, 12 PM, 8 PM) ### 2. Check current state ```bash ./scripts/load-state.sh # ⚡ ACC State Loaded: # Active patterns: 2 # - tone_mismatch: 2x (warning) # - missed_context: 1x (normal) ``` ### 3. Manual error logging ```bash ./scripts/log-error.sh \ --pattern "factual_error" \ --context "Stated Python 3.9 was latest when it's 3.12" \ --mitigation "Always web search for version numbers" ``` ### 4. Check for resolved patterns ```bash ./scripts/resolve-check.sh # Checks patterns not seen in 30+ days ``` ## Scripts | Script | Purpose | |--------|---------| | `preprocess-errors.sh` | Extract user+assistant exchanges since watermark | | `encode-pipeline.sh` | Run full preprocessing pipeline | | `log-error.sh` | Log an error with pattern, context, mitigation | | `load-state.sh` | Human-readable state for session context | | `resolve-check.sh` | Check for patterns ready to resolve (30+ days) | | `update-watermark.sh` | Update processing watermark | | `sync-state.sh` | Generate ACC_STATE.md from acc-state.json | | `log-event.sh` | Log events for brain analytics | ## How It Works ### 1. Preprocessing Pipeline The `encode-pipeline.sh` extracts exchanges from session transcripts: ```bash ./scripts/encode-pipeline.sh --no-spawn # ⚡ ACC Encode Pipeline # Step 1: Extracting exchanges... # Found 47 exchanges to analyze ``` Output: `pending-errors.json` with user+assistant pairs: ```json [ { "assistant_text": "The latest Python version is 3.9", "user_text": "Actually it's 3.12 now", "timestamp": "2026-02-11T10:00:00Z" } ] ``` ### 2. Error Analysis (via Cron Agent) An LLM (configured via `ACC_MODELS`) analyzes each exchange for: - Direct corrections ("no", "wrong", "that's not right") - Implicit corrections ("actually...", "I meant...") - Frustration signals ("you're not understanding") - User confusion caused by the agent ### 3. Pattern Tracking Errors are logged with pattern names: ```bash ./scripts/log-error.sh --pattern "factual_error" --context "..." --mitigation "..." ``` Patterns escalate with repetition: - **1x** → normal (noted) - **2x** → warning (watch for this) - **3+** → critical (actively avoid!) ### 4. Resolution Patterns not seen for 30+ days move to resolved: ```bash ./scripts/resolve-check.sh # ✓ Resolved: version_numbers (32 days clear) ``` ## Cron Schedule Default: 3x daily for faster feedback loop ```bash # Add to cron openclaw cron add --name acc-analysis \ --cron "0 4,12,20 * * *" \ --session isolated \ --agent-turn "Run ACC analysis pipeline..." ``` ## State File Format ```json { "version": "2.0", "lastUpdated": "2026-02-11T12:00:00Z", "activePatterns": { "factual_error": { "count": 3, "severity": "critical", "firstSeen": "2026-02-01T10:00:00Z", "lastSeen": "2026-02-10T15:00:00Z", "context": "Stated outdated version numbers", "mitigation": "Always verify versions with web search" } }, "resolved": { "tone_mismatch": { "count": 2, "resolvedAt": "2026-02-11T04:00:00Z", "daysClear": 32 } }, "stats": { "totalErrorsLogged": 15 } } ``` ## Event Logging Track ACC activity over time: ```bash ./scripts/log-event.sh analysis errors_found=2 patterns_active=3 patterns_resolved=1 ``` Events append to `~/.openclaw/workspace/memory/brain-events.jsonl`: ```json {"ts":"2026-02-11T12:00:00Z","type":"acc","event":"analysis","errors_found":2,"patterns_active":3} ``` ## Integration with OpenClaw ### Add to session startup (AGENTS.md) ```markdown ## Every Session 1. Load hippocampus: `./scripts/load-core.sh` 2. Load emotional state: `./scripts/load-emotion.sh` 3. **Load error patterns:** `~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/anterior-cingulate-memory/scripts/load-state.sh` ``` ### Behavior Guidelines When you see patterns in ACC state: - 🔴 **Critical (3+)** — actively verify before responding in this area - ⚠️ **Warning (2x)** — be extra careful - ✅ **Resolved** — lesson learned, don't repeat ## Future: Amygdala Integration *Planned:* Connect ACC to amygdala so errors affect emotional state: - Errors → lower valence, higher alertness - Clean runs → maintain positive state - Pattern resolution → sense of accomplishment ## AI Brain Series | Part | Function | Status | |------|----------|--------| | [hippocampus](https://www.clawhub.ai/skills/hippocampus) | Memory formation, decay, reinforcement | ✅ Live | | [amygdala-memory](https://www.clawhub.ai/skills/amygdala-memory) | Emotional processing | ✅ Live | | [vta-memory](https://www.clawhub.ai/skills/vta-memory) | Reward and motivation | ✅ Live | | **anterior-cingulate-memory** | Conflict detection, error monitoring | ✅ Live | | [basal-ganglia-memory](https://www.clawhub.ai/skills/basal-ganglia-memory) | Habit formation | 🚧 Development | | [insula-memory](https://www.clawhub.ai/skills/insula-memory) | Internal state awareness | 🚧 Development | ## Philosophy The ACC in the human brain creates that "something's off" feeling — the pre-conscious awareness that you've made an error. This skill gives AI agents a similar capability: persistent awareness of mistake patterns that influences future behavior. Mistakes aren't failures. They're data. The ACC turns that data into learning. --- *Built with ⚡ by the OpenClaw community*