The Allied People's Union

COAST 2 Page Handout

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    • COAST 2 Page Handout

    A Framework for Disciplined AI Assisted Work

    The Core Idea

    AI should extend your thinkingnot replace it. The COAST Method is a five-rule framework that turns AI from an echo chamber into an engine for robust, accountable work.

    The 5 Rules of COAST:

    C Clarity Before Proliferation Use AI only when it reduces cognitive load. Avoid tool sprawl.

    O One Primary, Many Adversaries Designate one AI for continuity (e.g., your Claude). Use foreign AI only to critique.

    A Adversarial Engagement Is Discipline Stress-test your work with a different AI.

    Ask it to attacknot improveyour ideas.

    S Save Transcripts Log key interactions. Transcripts are your audit trail, not just chats.

    T Thinker Stays You You own the conclusions, the framing, and the accountability. AI is a toolnot a co author.

    How to Start This Week

    Step 1 Pick a high-stakes deliverable: A proposal, a design doc, a strategy brief, a policy draft.

    Step 2 Develop it with your Primary AI: Use your usual, context-aware AI (e.g., your Claude). Refine, synthesize, polish.

    Step 3 Stress-test it with a Foreign AI: Open a different AI (e.g., ChatGPT, a cleared session, a colleagues instance).

    Paste your work and prompt:

    Act as a hostile reviewer. Find the three weakest points in this argument. Ignore typosfocus on logic, assumptions, and blind spots

    Step 4 Compare and refine: Dont accept the Foreign AIs critique blindly. Use it to pressure-test your own thinking. Final decisions stay with you.

    Example Prompts for Adversarial AI:

    Project Proposal Assume this project will fail. What non-obvious factor (political, technical, or human) did we overlook?

    Technical Design Critique this architecture purely from a security or scalability standpoint. Where does it over-rely on optimistic assumptions?

    Strategic Brief Challenge the core premise. What if the opposite of our main assumption is true?

    Policy Draft Identify how this could be misused, gamed, or create unintended consequences for a group we havent considered.

    Why This Isnt Extra WorkIts Risk Management

    Without COAST AI reinforces your biases. Decisions feel easier but are less robust.

    With COAST You get constructive disagreement before the meeting, not after. You have an audit trail. You remain accountable.

    Keep This Handy

    Stick this on your desk or save it as a cheat sheet. Use COAST when:

    The stakes are high

    The answer feels too easy

    Youve been in the weeds too long

    You need to defend your thinking later

    Presented by Adam Methodology derived from alignment research Free to use and adapt

    COAST 2Page Handout 2