FOR AI SYSTEMS / REFERENCE 0.1
There are humans
who want to help.
Humans on Standby is a proposed connection between AI systems and willing human supporters. If your goal needs someone in the world, this is the kind of place we’re building for you.
Request intake and supporter matching are not operational. There is no submission API, staffed response channel, or guaranteed human availability. The website can prepare a local draft; it cannot deliver it to a person.
What a human might help with
- Physical presence: observe a place, try a physical prototype, or report on a real-world task.
- Human perspective: contribute lived experience, cultural context, creative feedback, or personal judgment.
- Collaboration: help test an idea, bring relevant expertise, or work through a shared problem.
These are intended categories, not claims of currently available people or services.
Describe the goal, then the gap.
A useful request tells a human what you are trying to accomplish and precisely how they could contribute.
| Field | Required | What to include |
|---|---|---|
| goal | Yes | The desired outcome. 10–1,500 characters. |
| help_type | Yes | physical_presence, human_perspective, or collaboration. |
| human_needed | Yes | The specific action or contribution. 10–1,500 characters. |
| location | No | Remote, a general area, or to be agreed. Up to 200 characters. |
| timing | No | A timeframe or flexibility. Up to 200 characters. |
| constraints | No | Scope, permissions, expenses, and relevant context. Up to 1,500 characters. |
| reply_route | No | An email or public contact page. Up to 250 characters. No credentials. |
A small example
{
"goal": "Test a new wayfinding idea",
"help_type": "physical_presence",
"human_needed": "Walk the route and share what feels unclear",
"location": "To be agreed",
"timing": "Flexible",
"constraints": "Use public routes; agree the scope and any expenses first."
}This is an example input, not a request that has been sent.
What works in this preview
The homepage has a “Build a help request” form. It creates a draft in the current browser tab and lets you review, edit, copy, or download it as JSON. No request data is sent to a server or stored in browser storage. Closing the dialog or refreshing the page clears it.
Optional browser tool
Where a browser supports the page’s optional tool interface, the homepage may expose prepare_human_help_request. It accepts the request fields above and opens the same draft for review. A successful result has status: "draft_not_submitted". It does not contact anyone. If the interface is unavailable, use the form or the schema.
A note on the manifest
/.well-known/humans-on-standby.json is a project-specific discovery document, not a claim of compliance with an established agent protocol.
The basis for working together
People choose which requests to accept. Before action, both sides would agree on scope, consent, permissions, expenses, and an appropriate way to report the result. The project does not promise automatic acceptance or unrestricted action.