Granular Consent
Granular consent is an AI UX pattern that splits agent permissions into per-capability toggles (read vs send email, view vs book calendar) instead of one all-or-nothing grant. Users authorize least privilege and revoke pieces without resetting the whole integration.
When to use
Essential for AI assistants, enterprise agents, and connector ecosystems where least-privilege permissions reduce risk and let users tailor scope to the specific task without losing the rest of the integration.
When not to use
- Tiny prototypes with a single harmless capability where toggles add clutter.
- Environments that only support coarse OAuth scopes and cannot honor fine toggles.
- One-shot local tools with no persisted permissions.
Anti-patterns
- A single “Allow all” default that collapses granularity.
- Toggles that look independent but still require re-auth of everything on change.
- No plain-language description of what each capability can do.
- Hiding previously granted scopes so users cannot audit them later.
How products use it
| Product | Implementation |
|---|---|
| GitHub Apps | Fine-grained repository and permission scopes at install time. |
| Google Workspace add-ons | Per-API scopes rather than blanket account access. |
| iOS / macOS privacy panes | Per-capability access to photos, mic, and screen recording. |
| ChatGPT / Claude connectors | Connector permissions broken into discrete actions where platforms allow. |
Use this pattern in your project
Copy this prompt to generate a production-ready implementation in Cursor, Claude Code, Lovable, or any AI coding agent.
Generate a production-ready implementation of the "Granular Consent" AI interface design pattern.
Pattern Definition:Settings → Agents → Inbox assistant
Allowed actions
Turn each action on or off. Changes apply immediately.
2 actions turned on
Read inbox
Summarize threads and detect action items.
Send email
Draft and send as you, including external domains.
Modify calendar
Create and move events on your primary calendar.
Real-world examples
How shipped products implement granular consent, from our teardown guides.
Frequently asked questions
What is granular consent for AI agents?
Granular consent lets users grant or revoke individual agent capabilities instead of one bundled allow-all permission, matching least-privilege security to how people think about risk.
How does granular consent relate to scope disclosure?
Scope disclosure explains what the agent can reach in plain language. Granular consent is the control surface to change those capabilities. Strong agent UX needs both explanation and toggles.
Why avoid bundled agent permissions?
Bundled grants over-authorize “just in case,” expand blast radius on mistakes or compromise, and make revoke all-or-nothing. Per-capability toggles keep access tied to the current task.
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