Correct Brief analysis cutoff semantics

ace/application/brief_synthesis.py

@@ -679,8 +679,8 @@ async def _exact_closure_unchecked(
         loaded_signal = await ledger.load_exact(attention.signal)
         if not isinstance(loaded_signal, SignalV1Alpha1):
             raise BriefSynthesisError("routed attention Signal is missing from exact PREPARED scope")
-        if loaded_signal.as_of != request.brief_as_of:
-            raise BriefSynthesisError("Brief cutoff must equal the routed Signal as_of time")
+        if loaded_signal.as_of > request.brief_as_of:
+            raise BriefSynthesisError("routed Signal semantic as_of cannot follow the Brief cutoff")
         if len(loaded_signal.lineage) != 1 or any(
             item.resource_kind is not LineageResourceKind.SHIFT or item.relation is not LineageRelation.DERIVED_FROM
             for item in loaded_signal.lineage

ace/application/intelligence_build_first_brief.py

@@ -384,7 +384,6 @@ async def create_first_brief(
             ) from None
         except Exception:
             raise IntelligenceBuildFirstBriefError("routed PREPARED material failed exact replay") from None
-        signal = signals[0]
         synthesis_material = {
             "build_id": self.build.build_id,
             "request_id": exact.request_id,
@@ -405,7 +404,7 @@ async def create_first_brief(
             pack=binding.prepared_binding.revision.spec.pack,
             attention_receipt_id=exact.attention_receipt_id,
             attention_receipt_digest=exact.attention_receipt_digest,
-            brief_as_of=signal.as_of,
+            brief_as_of=attention.evaluated_at,
             context_cutoff_at=attention.evaluated_at,
             requested_at=exact.requested_at,
         )

ace/application/live_intelligence_bridge.py

@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ async def _derivation(
             or receipt.attention != attention.record_reference()
             or receipt.signal != resource_reference(signal)
             or receipt.shift != resource_reference(shift)
-            or signal.as_of != request.brief_as_of
+            or signal.as_of > request.brief_as_of
         ):
             raise LiveBriefSynthesisError("LIVE route receipt is missing or cross-wired")
         try:

ace/intelligence/contracts/synthesis.py

@@ -283,8 +283,10 @@ def validate_scope_time_and_identity(self) -> Self:
             or self.activation_revision.product_id != self.product_id
         ):
             raise ValueError("Brief synthesis request crossed exact product scope")
-        if not self.brief_as_of <= self.context_cutoff_at <= self.requested_at:
-            raise ValueError("Brief semantic as_of, context cutoff, and request time must be ordered")
+        if self.brief_as_of != self.context_cutoff_at:
+            raise ValueError("Brief as_of must equal its frozen analysis and evidence cutoff")
+        if self.context_cutoff_at > self.requested_at:
+            raise ValueError("Brief analysis and evidence cutoff cannot follow request time")
         if not (
             self.authenticated_context.authenticated_at <= self.requested_at < self.authenticated_context.expires_at
         ):
@@ -1092,12 +1094,14 @@ def validate_scope_time_and_identity(self) -> Self:
             raise ValueError("Case Brief synthesis request crossed exact product scope")
         if self.case.resource_kind is not IntelligenceRecordKind.CASE or self.case.mode is not self.mode:
             raise ValueError("Case Brief synthesis request must bind one exact PREPARED Case")
-        if self.case.as_of != self.brief_as_of:
-            raise ValueError("Brief cutoff must equal the bound Case as_of closure")
-        if self.case.available_at > self.context_cutoff_at:
+        if self.case.as_of > self.brief_as_of:
+            raise ValueError("the bound Case semantic as_of cannot follow the Brief cutoff")
+        if self.case.available_at > self.brief_as_of:
             raise ValueError("the bound Case must be available by the context cutoff")
-        if not self.brief_as_of <= self.context_cutoff_at <= self.requested_at:
-            raise ValueError("Brief semantic as_of, context cutoff, and request time must be ordered")
+        if self.brief_as_of != self.context_cutoff_at:
+            raise ValueError("Brief as_of must equal its frozen analysis and evidence cutoff")
+        if self.context_cutoff_at > self.requested_at:
+            raise ValueError("Brief analysis and evidence cutoff cannot follow request time")
         if not (
             self.authenticated_context.authenticated_at <= self.requested_at < self.authenticated_context.expires_at
         ):

tests/intelligence/test_brief_synthesis.py

@@ -72,11 +72,12 @@
 PRODUCT = "product:prepared-brief"
 ACTIVATED_AT = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 11, 55, tzinfo=UTC)
 BASELINE_AS_OF = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 0, tzinfo=UTC)
-BRIEF_AS_OF = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 1, tzinfo=UTC)
+SIGNAL_AS_OF = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 1, tzinfo=UTC)
 PROJECTED_AT = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 1, 30, tzinfo=UTC)
 SHIFT_DETECTED_AT = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 2, tzinfo=UTC)
 SIGNAL_DETECTED_AT = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 2, 30, tzinfo=UTC)
 ROUTED_AT = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 4, tzinfo=UTC)
+BRIEF_AS_OF = ROUTED_AT
 REQUESTED_AT = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 5, tzinfo=UTC)
 GENERATED_AT = datetime(2026, 8, 6, 12, 5, 15, tzinfo=UTC)
 
@@ -325,16 +326,16 @@ def _batch(binding, *, same_source: bool = False) -> PreparedResourceAdmissionV1
         "source_digest": "sha256:" + "3" * 64,
         "acquisition_receipt_ref": "acquisition:edge-x1-current",
         "acquisition_receipt_digest": "sha256:" + "4" * 64,
-        "source_published_at": BRIEF_AS_OF,
+        "source_published_at": SIGNAL_AS_OF,
     }
     second = ObservationV1Alpha1(
         product_id=PRODUCT,
         mode=IntelligenceResourceMode.PREPARED,
         activation_revision=reference,
-        as_of=BRIEF_AS_OF,
+        as_of=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
         **second_source,
-        observed_at=BRIEF_AS_OF,
-        ingested_at=BRIEF_AS_OF,
+        observed_at=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
+        ingested_at=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
         subject_refs=("entity:edge-x1",),
         payload=CanonicalJsonValueV1Alpha1(
             value_json=canonical_json({"name": "Edge X1", "price": {"amount": 1080, "currency": "USD"}})
@@ -346,10 +347,10 @@ def _batch(binding, *, same_source: bool = False) -> PreparedResourceAdmissionV1
             product_id=PRODUCT,
             mode=IntelligenceResourceMode.PREPARED,
             activation_revision=reference,
-            as_of=BRIEF_AS_OF,
+            as_of=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
             **second_source,
-            observed_at=BRIEF_AS_OF,
-            ingested_at=BRIEF_AS_OF,
+            observed_at=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
+            ingested_at=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
             subject_refs=("entity:edge-x1",),
             payload=CanonicalJsonValueV1Alpha1(
                 value_json=canonical_json(
@@ -381,7 +382,7 @@ def _batch(binding, *, same_source: bool = False) -> PreparedResourceAdmissionV1
         product_id=PRODUCT,
         mode=IntelligenceResourceMode.PREPARED,
         activation_revision=reference,
-        as_of=BRIEF_AS_OF,
+        as_of=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
         lineage=tuple(
             _lineage(item, LineageResourceKind.OBSERVATION) for item in (second, convergent) if item is not None
         ),
@@ -866,15 +867,15 @@ async def test_live_then_fresh_service_replay_is_exact_authorized_and_provider_o
     assert env.request.activation_revision.revision_digest == (
         "sha256:caeb8fcafd17a6ba50741d44837d9980f755549d82cabcdb64d127efab72fff0"
     )
-    assert first.brief.resource_id == "brief:52d3d753b9b2ee30d1a8faaa316e1652"
-    assert first.brief.resource_digest == ("sha256:52d3d753b9b2ee30d1a8faaa316e16526b3a6e5e4cf793d8417df8b91fe6a206")
-    assert first.synthesis_receipt.receipt_id == ("brief_synthesis_receipt:13083446bbc36acc4ae97e2a96a22700")
+    assert first.brief.resource_id == "brief:b5974bba19f9cbd4fa854db254c063db"
+    assert first.brief.resource_digest == ("sha256:b5974bba19f9cbd4fa854db254c063db4a111204fe4fa6c3a5650a447e6dfe95")
+    assert first.synthesis_receipt.receipt_id == ("brief_synthesis_receipt:da04b6b9c195d0cf98fe7d5ad969df4a")
     assert first.synthesis_receipt.receipt_digest == (
-        "sha256:13083446bbc36acc4ae97e2a96a22700087d98c9b4e5b3145a68c8b94439dfc1"
+        "sha256:da04b6b9c195d0cf98fe7d5ad969df4a5f0c226b64e34c011bc10720d07b6de9"
     )
     assert first.transaction_receipt.receipt_id == ("append_only_receipt:a0f17f23345df62697e317b927484ef1")
     assert first.transaction_receipt.request_hash == (
-        "sha256:ce69f1018e1ea95d8b262626bbfe15580563cb999cb0b0b51b05f6960aa0d35b"
+        "sha256:42f2dcdc73c34a9b09b4ab371445b0c73f6bdb4e8314dec03e5178f39789598b"
     )
     assert env.provider.calls == 1
     assert env.runtime.capability_calls == env.runtime.authority_calls == 4
@@ -1318,28 +1319,23 @@ async def test_divergent_synthesis_replay_and_cross_wired_attempt_fail_before_pr
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_semantic_as_of_and_context_availability_are_distinct_and_fail_closed():
+async def test_signal_semantic_time_precedes_brief_analysis_cutoff_and_future_evidence_fails_closed():
     env = await _environment()
-    wrong_as_of = BriefSynthesisRequestV1Alpha1.model_validate(
+    assert SIGNAL_AS_OF < env.request.brief_as_of == env.request.context_cutoff_at
+    stale_cutoff = BriefSynthesisRequestV1Alpha1.model_validate(
         {
             **env.request.model_dump(mode="python", exclude={"request_id", "request_digest"}),
             "brief_as_of": BRIEF_AS_OF - timedelta(seconds=1),
+            "context_cutoff_at": BRIEF_AS_OF - timedelta(seconds=1),
         }
     )
     with pytest.raises(BriefSynthesisError):
-        await env.service.synthesize(wrong_as_of)
-    unavailable = BriefSynthesisRequestV1Alpha1.model_validate(
-        {
-            **env.request.model_dump(mode="python", exclude={"request_id", "request_digest"}),
-            "context_cutoff_at": ROUTED_AT - timedelta(seconds=1),
-        }
-    )
-    with pytest.raises(BriefSynthesisError):
-        await env.service.synthesize(unavailable)
+        await env.service.synthesize(stale_cutoff)
     with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
         BriefSynthesisRequestV1Alpha1.model_validate(
             {
                 **env.request.model_dump(mode="python", exclude={"request_id", "request_digest"}),
+                "brief_as_of": REQUESTED_AT + timedelta(seconds=1),
                 "context_cutoff_at": REQUESTED_AT + timedelta(seconds=1),
             }
         )

tests/intelligence/test_case_brief_synthesis.py

@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
     REQUESTED_AT,
     ROUTED_AT,
     SHIFT_DETECTED_AT,
+    SIGNAL_AS_OF,
     SIGNAL_DETECTED_AT,
     _ActivationAuthority,
     _ActivationStore,
@@ -301,7 +302,7 @@ def _derivation(
         reference,
         entity=entity,
         suffix=f"{key}-current",
-        as_of=BRIEF_AS_OF,
+        as_of=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
         attributes=current,
     )
     baseline_snapshot = _snapshot(
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ def _derivation(
         reference,
         entity=entity,
         observations=(second,),
-        as_of=BRIEF_AS_OF,
+        as_of=SIGNAL_AS_OF,
         attributes=current,
     )
     shift = detect_numeric_shift(
@@ -791,6 +792,7 @@ async def test_stale_context_cutoff_excludes_a_case_member_and_fails_closed():
         CaseBriefSynthesisRequestV1Alpha1.model_validate(
             env.request.model_copy(
                 update={
+                    "brief_as_of": stale_cutoff,
                     "context_cutoff_at": stale_cutoff,
                     "request_id": None,
                     "request_digest": None,