- What inspired you to build MANDATE?
The rise of AI agents capable of making purchases inspired us to build MANDATE, ensuring users stay in control of their money.
- What problem does it solve?
AI agents may overspend or make unauthorized purchases. MANDATE solves this through spending limits, policy enforcement, and human approval.
- How did you build it?
We used React, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, Google Gemini API, and PayPal Sandbox to build an AI-powered spending governance platform.
- What makes your approach innovative?
MANDATE separates AI intelligence from financial authority. AI interprets instructions, a deterministic Policy Engine enforces rules, and users control sensitive transactions.
- What challenges did you face?
Integrating AI-generated policies with deterministic validation, managing payment workflows, and maintaining secure communication between frontend and backend.
- What did you learn?
We learned how to integrate AI with real-world payment workflows, design rule-based systems, and build safer, human-controlled AI applications.
